Untamed Spirits
by Natala
Summary: Someone decides to try to put the Spirit Detectives down in a new and interesting way. When the final stage of their plot is delayed, the crafty Youko finds the Spirit Detectives a sanctuary in a shrine belonging to a former time-traveling miko. IYxYYH
1. Chapter 1

Title: Untamed Spirits  
Chapter: 1  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha.  
Summary: Someone decides to try to put the Spirit Detectives down in a new and interesting way. Unfortunately, when the final stage of their plot is delayed, the crafty Youko finds the Spirit Detectives a sanctuary in a shrine belonging to a former time-traveling miko.  
  
Chapter 1 - Helping eases the Burden  
  
A tree crashed through the air as four animals scattered across the park, the demon roaring angrily behind them. Glowing yellow eyes glared about, then transformed into a small lizard like creature. The chase was on. A smirk alighted the demon's features. Once they were found, the plan could be finished. They wouldn't just be transformed into animals, the second part of the spell would make sure no one could ever change them back into their normal forms. Then they would never trouble any demon again.  
  
One of the four animals was lucky. He was used to having a similar form. Less tails, but the form was basically the same. Pure white fur covered his body, and his eyes were as golden as ever. Not only that, but it was him in control for once, and not his human counterpart.  
  
He stopped suddenly and dove into the underbrush as his senses warned him of something strange. He waited a moment, and then realized it was his demon senses, not his fox ones. Odd, his powers didn't work but his senses were still there.  
  
The white fox crept closer to the source of the warning and his eyes widened as he saw a shrine. The air practically reeked of miko power. The fox brightened immediately. If he was lucky, and he usually was, this would be one of those mikos who had a shield up that only kept demons with bad intent out.  
  
He sprinted up the steps, passing through the shield with only a tingle to show he had even gone through. He was surprised there were even any mikos left. He'd only met a couple, and that had been two centuries ago when he gone on a brief stealing stint in the human world. They'd kept him from stealing anything, but one had been willing to talk, and he'd learned much from her before he'd had to go back to Makai.  
  
He was probably one of the few demons under five centuries old who knew anything about mikos.  
  
He sniffed around cautiously and jerked his head back at the demonic smells his nose was feeding him. His fluffy white tail swished behind him as he grinned inwardly. This was great! A miko who had reoccurring demon scents on the property!  
  
His nose warned him an instant before he heard the door open and footsteps came towards him. He turned swiftly, drawing back slightly as he saw a young teenage boy.  
  
The boy studied him, and he studied the boy right back. The teenager sighed. "My senses aren't as good as my sister's, but I'm guessing you're a demon?"  
  
Youko nodded enthusiastically, trying not to be annoyed at how his human speech had been taken from him. The boy nodded to himself, then jerked his head towards the door. "Come on in then. I'll get Kagome. Since you got through the shield you're probably nice enough, but she and Shippo can interrogate you just incase, and see why you aren't in a humanoid form. You have one, right?"  
  
Youko growled as he nodded and the boy took a step back. Youko immediately tried to look as non-threatening as possible. He wanted to be back to normal, and to do that he needed to be able to stay here so the demon wouldn't find him before he had a plan. A miko certainly wouldn't let him stay here if he scared her brother.  
  
The boy seemed satisfied and led the way into the house, holding the door open for the white fox. Youko's nails clicked against the floor when they entered the kitchen. Two surprises awaited him.  
  
The miko was a younger and prettier than he would have expected. Also, there was a kitsune child on her shoulder.  
  
**"Oh good. I didn't think there would be anybody who would understand me here." **The white kitsune 'spoke' in a relieved tone. It wasn't really speaking so much as a combination of body language and low growls, barks, and yips, depending on what was being said. It was a canine language; a fox language to be exact, though any canine and probably most mammal predators would be able to understand him.  
  
The fox kit seemed surprised and turned his head towards the miko he was sitting on. "Mama, that's a kitsune. A cultured kitsune, and should have a humanoid form too by the way he speaks. Can I speak to him?"  
  
Youko was faintly surprised that the kitsune called a human 'mama', but couldn't really object to such a thing when a part of him did much the same. The woman - barely more than a girl really - smiled at her kitsune son. "Go ahead Shippo. I'm sure you know what to say and ask by now."  
  
The kit jumped down and bounded across. Youko noticed the paw like features and pointed ears. A golden kitsune if the tail was any indication. Youko almost snorted. If Koto appeared they'd have a representative from most of the kitsune species. Besides the black ones, but some said they were just a different kind of gold, just like some said rubies were a different kind of silver.  
  
**"Hi! I'm Shippo. Basically I'm supposed to ask what your name is and what you're doing here, but I can add some questions. Like, what do you need help with? Because any stray demons we end up with usually need help of some kind."  
  
**Youko was relieved. Not only were they not being openly hostile, but also they were willing to hear him out. He sat down, his tail curling around his back end as he prepared himself to answer those questions and anymore they could throw at him.  
  
**"I'm Youko Kurama. There is another presence inside me who, while most call him Kurama, is actually Shuichi Minamino. I am here because a demon transformed I and my allies into normal animals. We were stripped of our powers, though oddly kept our senses. At least, I believe the others did. We scattered to give ourselves a better chance. Fortunately I was in a form I was extremely familiar with, and when I came upon the shrine, I made the apparently correct decision to seek refuge here."  
  
**Shippo translated all that to the blue-eyed miko and she nodded and directed the question directly at Youko this time. "Where are your friends?"  
  
Youko was silent, then, **"I don't know."  
  
**When Shippo translated that the miko sighed and got up. "Why don't you two stay here? I'll go look for regular animals that have demon auras. There can't be many of them in the city. Oh, do you know what animals they were transformed into?"  
  
**"Only that Hiei was transformed into a small dragon."** Youko's eyes twinkled in amusement and Kagome grinned. "I'll have to ask you later why that's so amusing. Let's see if I can find a dragon."  
  
Youko watched her go, and then looked at Shippo. **"I don't understand. Why does she except my explanation so readily?"  
  
**"You got through the shield, didn't you? That alone is usually indication enough that you aren't bad. Besides, Mama is always ready to help. It makes her feel less guilty." Apparently the kitsune has spent so much time around humans and other demons that he automatically spoke in the human tongue. Youko sighed, and then went out of the room, his nails clicking until they reached the carpet, making Souta relieved. The clicking was a bit annoying.  
  
Youko climbed up onto the couch and curled up, head on top of his tail as he waited. He found both boys were staring at him. He raised his head and tilted it, a clear indication of a question.  
  
"Nothin'. Just looking. Wanna watch some TV?" When Youko indicated he did not, both boys looked disappointed, and went to one corner, playing a board game. Apparently they believed him, but didn't trust him enough to leave him in the room alone.  
  
_-I wouldn't either,- _Shuichi commented grouchily from the back of his mind. Youko smirked. His favorite game. Tease his other half!  
  
_'You're just upset because I'm in control as long as we're in this body. The only control you'll get is if I let you have some. Not nice to have the table turned, is it?' _Shuichi snarled. Youko laughed mentally at the canine sound. Apparently he'd rubbed off on his human counterpart. Shuichi snorted, but there was genuine friendliness in there.  
  
Immediately, Youko became more relaxed. Not that he _really _cared what his counterpart though, but for a brief time he'd thought the human would hate him. Shuichi seemed to catch that thought. He laughed at him. At him!  
  
_-Why would I hate you? You're right in a way. It isn't nice, but you haven't been in control for a long time. It's about time you stretched your legs. Plus, you have a lot more experience in this fox form.- _Youko agreed with that, and both souls relaxed. Youko sniffed the air once more and then his ears flickered, catching another sounds. His coal black nose rose into the air.  
  
**"A human woman is approaching who smells like the boy and the miko." **Youko informed Shippo. Shippo looked startled, then groaned.  
  
"Souta, your Mom's home. Um, can you take care of Grandma? I'm not sure how to explain that Mama's taken another thing like this. You know how she gets." Shippo's green eyes widened as he looked at the boy, pleading with him.  
  
"Fine, fine. Maybe I'll suggest she and Grandpa go one a trip for a couple of weeks to some of the other shrines in Japan. She can get some rest and see some sites and he can go and argue with the other out of date powerless sold men." Souta stomped outside and closed the door behind him. Youko heard him speaking rapidly to the woman outside, apparently their mother.  
  
"What? Another one? Well, if I'm going to be forced out of my own home, I want to see what for!" Youko would have smirked if it were possible in this form. He slipped off the couch and sat on the floor, curling his tail around again and trying to look his best, and look like he was just a hopeless little puppy.  
  
"Where is this fox? I can't believe she... Oh my." Youko's golden eyes captured the woman's brown ones and he tried to look saddened.  
  
"Well... I suppose one more time can't hurt. She is helping people after all." The woman smiled a bit at him and his eyes brightened. He had won!  
  
"She's helping demons. Not people. Demons! Where did I go wrong! She's a miko!" An old man came stomping in, grabbing a ward from a basket nearby. "If mine don't work, let's see how well my granddaughter's do!"  
  
"Wait Grandpa!" Souta caught the ward, relieved to see it hadn't hit. Youko actually slunk behind another chair, though his eyes were narrowed and his fur was bristling. He did not appreciate being attacked, and he was sure he could take an old man in this form.  
  
Souta put the ward back in the basket, which to his eyes, when he focused, glowed blue and pink. His sister's pink, and his own blue. Hers was still better but he was still strong.  
  
Mrs. Higurashi began to pull her father to a different part of the house. "We'll be going soon then. If there are more to come, I don't want to be getting in the way. Best if I allow Kagome her pet projects."  
  
It was an hour later when kitsune, kitsune-human-fox, and one human boy gave a sigh of relief. They'd rushed them, but they were out of the house before anyone else came. The three were presently outside, exchanging congratulating looks.  
  
Youko suddenly gave a sharp bark and Shippo bounded towards the entrance of the shrine. His eyes widened as he caught his adopted mother's scent and then quickly scrambled back. "She's a bit angry."  
  
A singed miko crested the top of the shrine, a long rope held tightly in one hand. They followed the line of the rope and found it was around the neck of a black dragon, with red eyes that were very familiar to Youko. Hiei was tired, though he was too proud to show it.  
  
_'Hiei. Where are the others?' _Hiei's dragonhead snapped up and his wings flashed out as he heard Youko's thought. Kagome swiftly unwrapped the rope before the dragon tried to take off. Hiei tried to snap at her hand. Her miko powers in return zapped him. He winced and lifted himself in the air, landing in the God Tree behind Youko. Kagome glared at him, and then at her singed clothes. Stupid dragon.  
  
_'I don't know. This girl said she was here to help. I believed she was from the demon.' _Hiei sounded embarrassed. Youko went to the God Tree and looked up.  
  
_'She's a miko.' _That was all the two exchanged, but Youko watched Kagome go, and then Shippo bounded after her. Hiei went to go after her, feeling a bit useless sitting there. Youko sighed inwardly as everyone but Souta left. Well, he wasn't leaving until he came up with a good plan.  
  
Kagome noticed her two followers but said nothing. She kept to the forest part of parks, hoping that she would find another soon. Her senses tugged her in another direction and she immediately turned that way, following them as she had when she found the dragon.  
  
What she found was surprising. A blue jay was in a tree, twittering to a black wolf below it. Once in awhile the wolf would growl and snap its teeth before going back to what could only be called sulking.  
  
"Two more of you and Youko's friends?" Kagome asked, addressing Hiei. She expected just a nod.  
  
_'Yes. That's the detective and the spirit guide girl.' _At Kagome's surprised look the dragon seemed to give a smirk. Kagome rolled her eyes.  
  
"It would have been a lot easier if you'd just done that before." Kagome's grumble fell on deaf ears as the wolf noticed her. It sprang to its feet, black hair standing on end as it lowered its muzzle and began to growl deep in its throat. Kagome's eyes went wide.  
  
"I thought getting you was a problem." Kagome backed up a step as the wolf advanced one. "At least I'm used to fighting something like you."  
  
Shippo jumped down, speaking in canine. **"Wait, wait! Look up in the tree!"  
  
**Hiei took his cue and swooped down nearer to the wolf. _'Detective.'  
  
'Hiei. Who's she?'  
  
'Someone Youko recruited.' _Yusuke stopped growling at the answer but his brown eyes still eyed her suspiciously. Kagome's eyes were wide, more with shock and confusion than fear. "Nice teeth there," She managed. Shippo giggled.  
  
Hiei opened up mind links between all of them, deciding translating would take too long. Time was of the essence. He did not want to be stuck in this form forever.  
  
_'So, who exactly are you?' _Yusuke's gruff thought was directed to Kagome.  
  
"Kagome Higurashi. You?" She began to walk back to the shrine, keeping to the inner parts of the forest. These weren't exactly normal animals. She kept her senses open for another demon aura mixed with a normal animal.  
  
_'Yusuke Urameshi. Damn demon transformed us into useless animals.' _Kagome could sympathize with the feeling of helplessness and sighed herself.  
  
"Not totally. At least you're all predators so far. Except for the blue jay. Who are you by the way?"  
  
_'I'm glad _someone _remembered me. I'm Botan! It's a pleasure to meet you miko! I don't suppose you've seen Kuwabara?'  
  
_"Sorry. Only you three and Youko." Kagome's explanation was brief as she stopped, her senses tugging at her. Above her, Hiei was doing much the same as her.  
  
_'The oaf is nearby.'  
  
_"That's a human aura!" Kagome exclaimed.  
  
_'Kurama didn't explain much, did he? Kuwabara's as human as you are.' _There was a mental giggle after Botan's explanation and Kagome rolled her eyes.  
  
"That would have helped a bit. Shippo, go lead them back to the shrine please." There were immediately mental protests but Kagome ignored them and plunged into the woods. She didn't like the feeling she was getting. The last one of the group she had so suddenly decided to help was in trouble. Damn her and her soft and guilty heart.  
  
She skidded through the woods until she met with the scene of a lion being attacked by a few demons. "Our master simply wants to finish the spell. Pay you and your friends back for the trouble you've caused. Surely you wouldn't mind?" One hissed evilly. The lion roared and tried to attack, only to get caught from behind.  
  
Then a demon simply disappeared into ash. The four remaining demons looked at the angry and _glowing _human girl. "Who are you?"  
  
"A miko." Then she was over the lion and in the midst of the four. She hadn't spent four years in the feudal era for nothing. She could kick and punch with the best of them, and when they were leaden with miko powers, the demons were quickly gone. She grimaced sadly at the ashes, and then turned to the shocked lion.  
  
"Hey, you must be Kuwabara. Are you going to attack me like all your friends seemed apt to do? Because, lion claws? Not very fun I think. Plus, a lion isn't exactly native to Japan. I don't see why the demon couldn't have given you a more normal form. None of you exactly fit it." Kagome started walking after seeing the lion shake its head and could hear him following.  
  
By the time they arrived at the shrine, Kuwabara had heard Kagome rant through stupid demons, school and college, and how tough shopping for outfits that wouldn't get destroyed while fighting was. He was a bit relieved when he saw everyone else.  
  
**"Where did _she _learn how to fight? She fights almost as good as one of us!" **Everyone except for Youko looked surprised at what Kuwabara 'said'. Youko looked extremely smug.  
  
"Hey, telepathy dragon, open it up won't you?" Kagome ignored the growl and the flames that came close to her head and waited until she felt her mind seem to expand a bit into the other's she hadn't linked to yet. Including Shippo and Souta.  
  
"So... what now?" Everyone stared at her. She stared at Youko. He looked uncomfortable.  
  
_'Do we have to have a plan now?' _Kagome groaned at Youko's thought. "Mama's going to kill me."  
  
"She went on vacation with Grandpa," Souta chimed in. Kagome stared at him, then sighed in relief. "Thank kami. So, you guys have any friends you can call?"  
  
_'Keiko,' _Was the immediate reply, closely followed by, _'Shizuru.'  
  
_"Keiko first, since you guys all chimed in for that one." Kagome walked inside and brought the phone to the window. She looked out. "Number anyone?"  
  
Youko and Yusuke both provided the number at once. Yusuke looked at Youko suspiciously. _'Why do you have Keiko's number?'  
  
'A friend is allowed to have the number of another friend,' _Youko replied pompously. Shuichi sighed inside his head, and then gasped as Youko added to his statement. _'Besides, it was Shuichi who got her number, not I. Later you can ask him.'  
  
_Kagome was ignoring the mental conversation as she talked to Keiko. At first the girl had been nervous, then suspicious, then angry, and finally had agreed to come over. Kagome wouldn't be surprised if the girl brought back up the way she'd been talking. She seemed to believe the boys had been in trouble; just not that she was trying to help.  
  
Kagome sighed and looked out the window, groaning as Youko said something that made Yusuke bare his teeth.  
  
"Hey, Kagome, what are you going to do when Inuyasha or Kagura come over? You know they'll attack first and ask questions later." Kagome's eyes widened. They checked on her once a week. Every Tuesday. Today was Tuesday.  
  
_'Oh Shit.' _Kagome didn't even realize that the thought had gone over the telepathy lines. She was too busy going into the kitchen and desperately getting the ramen out. If Inuyasha smelled ramen first, he might hesitate. If it was Kagura, well, there wasn't anything they could do. She paused, remembered her guests, and took out some meat and nuts too. She left it all on the counter, figuring she could cook up what they wanted when they were hungry.  
  
"I smell someone coming!' Shippo announced suddenly. Kagome sighed, quickly drank some water, and prepared to meet this Keiko girl. She arrived outside to find one girl staring at the wolf Yusuke, hands on her hips. Kagome raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yusuke Urameshi! Only you could get yourself turned into an animal!" Keiko stood up straight to her full height, which wasn't really that tall, but was taller than the black wolf, even if he did still look large compared to her.  
  
_'But Keiko, it wasn't my fault, and they're animals too!' _Kagome held in a giggle at the whine. Apparently he didn't like being scolded by this girl. The large black wolf cowered underneath the human girl's glare.  
  
"Not your fault! You'd think that you could manage one last favor for Koenma after you went off to the Makai for three years and became a demon! But you can't even do the favor right!"  
  
_'Aw, Keiko, it isn't _all_ Urameshi's fault...' _Kuwabara trailed off when Keiko turned her glare on him, She looked a bit taken aback by his lion form, and it was then she observed all of them.  
  
"Hiei's a dragon, no surprise, Botan's a bird..." Kagome noticed Keiko's lips quirk at that and Botan started squawking - Both in bird language and in their minds.  
  
"And Kurama is..." Keiko trailed off; her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. He was the most beautiful fox she'd ever seen. Youko noticed and inwardly began to snicker. Shuichi jumped nervously, not at all liking the mischievous sound.  
  
_'I know, I'm so hideous in this form. I can't believe I was stuck this way." _Youko added in sad eyes and lowered ears, a small whimper sounding. _'It's so terrible to be stuck like this. I'm _so _depressed. I just wish I could have a hug.'  
  
_"Oh...Kurama, you're as beautiful in this form as in your normal one!" With that the young woman took the fox in her arms and hugged him to her chest. Youko took no time in snuggling to her, letting out another whimper as he did. He was giggling childishly on the inside as he heard Yusuke growl.  
  
_'Keiko! Moron! He's doing it on purpose!' _Yusuke's ears flattened as he was directed with a harsh glare. "Yusuke! How could you accuse your friend of something like that! Don't be so mean!"  
  
_'Yeah. This is traumatizing Yusuke!' _Youko gave a string of pathetic whimpers bound to melt anyone's heart. It had Keiko patting his head and body soothingly and the kitsune slowly made it seem as if his 'depression' was subsiding. She continued to pet him.  
  
_'B-But Keiko, that's even the _real _Kurama.' _Youko glared harshly at Yusuke for that one. He was the original, not the human with some of his powers! _'Not the Kurama you know I mean!'  
  
_Youko eyed the detective suspiciously but let the sort of insult slide.  
  
_'That's the other fox,' _Hiei added helpfully. Everyone stared at the dragon for that obscure and not very revealing statement. He snorted, a small flame coming from his mouth. They promptly forgot to stare at him  
  
"What?" Keiko asked in confusion. Youko glared at everyone.  
  
"They _have _been calling him Youko. Only Botan called him Kurama." Kagome added helpfully. Keiko stopped for a moment, and then shrugged. "Oh. Well, it doesn't matter. It's still Kurama no matter what form he's in. So..."  
  
When Keiko just continued to pet the kitsune, Yusuke seemed to be mixing angry growls and disbelieving whimpers. _'But it's Youko dammit!'  
  
-Remind me to let you have more control when we get back to normal. Keiko petting and getting Yusuke frustrated all at once...-_ Youko snorted with laughter silently in his head at his counterpart's speech.  
  
_'Much better than your boring routines, eh? See this? Females simply cannot resist Youko Kurama, thief of all treasures, including the most closely guarded hearts!'_ Youko was careful to direct this thought only to Shuichi.  
  
_'Keiko! Stop hugging the damn fox! He's faking it!' _Keiko ignored Yusuke's whine.  
  
Shippo was looking enviously at Youko from Kagome's shoulder. He spoke in a low whisper, not wanting to ruin the show prematurely. "He's good. I wonder if he'd give me lessons."  
  
Kagome glared at her adopted son. "Not until you're a lot older he won't!"  
  
_'I can't believe she's petting him', _Kuwabara said in awe.  
  
_-They're all just jealous,-_Shuichi mentioned offhandedly.  
  
_'Of course they are. What's not to be jealous of?' _Youko's smug voice made Shuichi sigh and retreat to another corner again to wait until Youko's ego had deflated.  
  
----  
  
Yet another story for TTMSD's birthday week. Do tell me your opinions please.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Untamed Spirits  
Chapter: 2  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha  
  
**Questions:  
  
Is the pairing Youko and Kagome?  
**Nope.  
  
--------------------------------  
  
Chapter 2 - "Who the hell are they?"  
  
After Keiko had _finally _stopped "comforting" Youko, the detectives turned into animals and most of the humanoids had adjourned inside. Kagome had stood outside along ever since, waiting anxiously for the first flicker of a familiar aura. Souta was attempting to explain off the panicked swearing she'd done mentally. He wasn't having much luck, but he did find he was even more inventive than his grandfather. He wasn't sure that was a good thing.  
  
Then it happened. As one, everyone but Keiko jerked his or her head to the front of the shrine. Fortunately, Souta had earlier locked the door so that the detectives wouldn't panic at a demon aura and run outside to confront it or run away from it. He already knew they would get themselves killed if they faced Kagura before Kagome could explain. Inuyasha was less of a problem as long as none of them were underneath him when he got sat.  
  
A figure in a red shirt and blue jeans bounded up the shrine steps, skidding to a stop with a suspicious sniff. "Ramen! Wait...demons! Kagome!"  
  
Kagome sighed as there was suddenly a hanyou in front of her, looking around suspiciously. At the same time, there were detectives in the house scrambling to get out. And Souta, in his infinite wisdom, had locked the door but left the window open. "Inuyasha..."  
  
"Don't worry Kagome, I don't know how they got through your barrier, but I'll make sure they leave... in pieces!"  
  
"_Inuyasha_..." Apparently the hanyou didn't hear the warning tone as four animals jumped out of the window. Well, three jumped out, one flew out and immediately blasted flames at the hanyou.  
  
"Damn it! I wish I had my fire rat armor! I'm going to kill you!" Inuyasha charged forward, claws pulling back to strike.  
  
"Sit boy!" Then his claws, along with his face and the rest of his body, were in the ground. A number of people stared. Shippo took this opportunity to chew on his head.  
  
"Oi! Brat! I'll kill you!" Kagome put the heel of her hand to her forehead as Inuyasha began to run around after Shippo. "I think I may have broken his attention span with too many sits. He was obsessed with Kikyou for years, now he can't even focus past a couple of subduings."  
  
**"Hey! Leave the kid alone!" **Inuyasha paused at the canine language echoing in his ears. That was definitely a wolf accent. His nose twitched as he swung around to stare at the black wolf with brown eyes. A low growl sounded in his throat.  
  
"Kagome. By the fact you sat me and you don't smell frightened, I assume this is a new project." Inuyasha's teeth were clenched as he stared at the wolf that smelled like a demon, but not like a wolf demon.  
  
"They needed my help," Kagome said quietly, knowing why he was getting so upset.  
  
"Who the hell are they?"  
  
"Demons, a human, and a spirit guide turned into animals." Kagome studied Inuyasha, the command on the tip of her tongue. He was still glaring at Yusuke.  
  
"Did one of them have to be a wolf?" Inuyasha's growl was pain-filled, and Kagome and Shippo both met his gaze sadly. All thoughts went briefly to Kouga, Ayame, and the orphaned pup before they turned away from it, focusing on the matter on hand.  
  
"I don't think they had much of a choice Inuyasha." Inuyasha glared at her, then at the wolf, then at the four other animals.  
  
"Keh. Where's the ramen?" Kagome smiled happily and bounded the few steps to embrace him. "Thanks Inuyasha!"  
  
Inuyasha blushed, but quickly put his arms around her, soothing his senses in her scent. She rarely was like this anymore, and he wasn't likely to get the chance to hold her again soon. "Keh. As long as I don't get babysitting duties."  
  
**"Baby sitting! We're adults here! Not babies!" **Yusuke was promptly ignored and Hiei threaded Inuyasha into the matrix of telepathy.  
  
"You know, if the rest of you lost your powers, why can he still use telepathy?" Souta asked suddenly, staring up at Hiei.  
  
Blank stares and confused thoughts were all the answer he had until Hiei decided to answer. _'Telepathy is not a weapon. It is closer to a sense, just one heightened by power.'  
  
'Huh?'_ Even Inuyasha joined in with Kuwabara and Yusuke on that one. Kagome tilted her head, blue eyes regarding the demon turned into a dragon. "I guess that makes sense."  
  
_'It does?' _Kuwabara asked. Kagome sighed, opened her mouth, and then shook her head. "Never mind. Inuyasha, ramen's in the kitchen. After you eat we'll go through introductions."  
  
Inuyasha gobbled down three things of ramen within a few minutes and bounded out, staring at the demons turned into animals with a suspicious gaze. "Who are you and what do you want with Kagome?"  
  
_'Please, we only come here for sanctuary until we find out how to reverse this and go after the demon and its associates who did this to us.' _Youko's smooth mental voice echoed through their minds and Inuyasha looked unimpressed.  
  
"How do you know it won't just turn you back into animals again?"  
  
_'We were unprepared. We aren't anymore.' _Kagome and Inuyasha traded glances at Yusuke's angry statement, recognizing the familiar tone.  
  
"Right. I think the first thing is to find out what kind of spell did this. Souta, why don't you start sifting through the pile of books that seem to actually have authentic demon rituals and spells in them. Shippo, entertain our guests. I'm going to go on the Internet and see what the miko network says." She started to leave, then stopped and looked at Inuyasha.  
  
"Don't kill anyone. Sit in the God Tree and glare real hard. You're good at that." There was a slight chill in her voice and Inuyasha's ears flattened. Sometimes Kagome seemed perfectly all right with everything and then out of the blue she'd become cold all of a sudden.  
  
_'There's a miko network? Oh, Koenma just _needs _to hear about this.' _The blue jay flapped her wings in pleasure and the dragon perched on a branch nearby snorted, a few flames blowing her way. With an annoyed chirp Botan darted away to another tree.  
  
Shippo sighed as Inuyasha looked forlorn standing alone. He waited another instant and saw the hanyou's ears twitch and his frame tense and the hanyou snarled, bounding away to take out his stress away from the animals. The kitsune turned to their "guests" and noticed none of them seemed to think that he actually could provide entertainment or the others could find out what demon it was because they were all thinking quietly to each other. Shippo only caught mind whispers, but he knew they were trying to make a plan.  
  
"A long time ago, over five hundred years, a beautiful and miraculous jewel was created. Both dangerous and in danger, the jewel was passed from the demon slayer's tribe to a miko named Kikyou. She guarded it for a few long, lonely years, outcast from normal human society because they respected her too much, and hating most demon cultures. She was alone, and aching not to be."  
  
"Then a hanyou came along. She found that she couldn't kill him, because it took only a flash of those golden eyes for her to see her own reflection in him. He wanted to be accepted. To have friends. To not be alone. And so they played a game for a while. Until one day, they stopped playing and he stopped attempting to steal the precious jewel, this Shikon no Tama." Shippo didn't move a muscle as three heads swung his way at the last part of the sentence. Soon the other two were facing him, and he continued.  
  
He talked through their growing romance, Onigumo, the evil priestess who once tried to kill Kikyou as her powers weakened. But even weakened through her selfish love of a half demon Kikyou was stronger than the evil one. "And so the hanyou said he would become human, forever purifying the jewel, and they would live together happily. She whispered her thanks to him, to her Inuyasha."  
  
Shippo seemed not to notice the stunned air as he finally said the hanyou's name. He felt more than smelled the hanyou who had settled before him mere moments ago. "But all would not be well. Onigumo lusted after Kikyou, and sold his soul to make sure the Shikon no Tama stayed blackened with betrayal."  
  
Shippo continued weaving the story of the horrendous trick played on them, and had just gotten to Kikyou's reincarnation pulling out the arrow that bound Inuyasha when two throats cleared.  
  
Shippo jerked his head up. He had been so engrossed in telling the story that had been engraved in all their hearts that he had forgotten that eventually the others would come back. His forest green eyes met blue-grey ones and Kagome smiled at him, her eyes accepting of the story. Shippo grinned back. She even looked a bit encouraging. And why not? Better for someone besides them to have the real story than those little happily ever after stories or the ones where they died in their love's arms. Didn't happen that way. Nothing was ever that perfect.  
  
"What happened next? To Kikyou's reincarnation? To Inuyasha?" Keiko was leaning forward, her mind on overdrive, eagerly taking in the truth of the legend with a knowledge hungry mind.  
  
"We have some information you know," Souta called out. He was promptly ignored.  
  
_'Yeah, we know Inuyasha eventually came here. What happened to that girl? The one who traveled through time?' _Yusuke was peering eagerly at the young kitsune demon but did turn at the pointed cough.  
  
"I'm surprised you don't know already. Anyway, Souta and I think we've come up with the species of demon that did this, the ritual, and some theories on why. It requires a question first." Kagome was eyeing them with a new respect. If they were whom she thought then this was a rare treat.  
  
"What question?" Keiko asked, echoed by her friends.  
  
"Are you four boys the Spirit Detectives?" No one had expected that question. Except perhaps Youko, who yawned, showing sharp ivory canines before answering.  
  
_'Yes. Or, my human half was. I rarely came out. Except when we became very angry.' _Youko was silent for a moment, remembering when Yusuke had died for the second time. They had all been full of rage. Then the aggravating former human had come back ten times as powerful and an S-class demon. It had been amusing in retrospect. Each of the two times the Toushin had died he had gone through major life changes. First a Spirit Detective, then one of the strongest demons that existed.  
  
"Definitely explains the why part of why they did it then. The how's easy too, it's an almost forgotten magic that can only be used by this type of demon. It needs to be done twice while you're still in the first stage for it to be permanent. Otherwise they have to do it again and get you in the first stage that time." Kagome didn't let the slight awe running through her mind effect her and she was sure it didn't show on her face.  
  
"First stage?" Keiko asked for them fearfully.  
  
"This is the first stage. The second one, which starts about a month after the spell was cast, makes you in your normal form for twelve hours and your animal form for twelve hours. The third stage your powers come back completely and you can choose which form to be in. That happens after a month in the second stage. So you have two months before you're back to relatively normal." Kagome looked up to find them staring at her.  
  
_'Choose? You mean after that second stage we could change back and forth whenever we wanted?' _Kuwabara asked curiously. He didn't like being bereft of his powers, but this form was kind of nice.  
  
"Yes. And we're not sure, but we believe once your powers are back you'll be able to use them in both forms, though in your animal ones they may take a different form." Souta answered this time, grinning at the stir of curiosity in them.  
  
_'So we have to wait two damn months before we can go after this guy? What are we supposed to do until then?' _Yusuke asked in frustration.  
  
"Whatever you want, blackie. But I suggest you don't go outside the wards. It could easily sense you and you don't exactly have much defence right now. unless you want to bite it." Kagome smirked at the protests running through her head at the new nickname.  
  
**"Think of it as a codename. If she says blackie, no one will know who you are," **Shippo said in canine, attempting to placate the majin turned wolf. He was in turn glared at. Shippo sighed.  
  
_'Don't call me blackie,'_ The Toushin muttered in his thoughts. Kagome was already scanning over them and sighing.  
  
"Mou, I'm going to need to get food for all of you. You're all going to have to eat what your forms would eat while you're in those forms. It'll be the healthiest choice." Kagome obviously had to hear his objection being that it was sent telepathically, but she was just as obviously ignoring it.  
  
_'That's all right. I'm sure we can all stand a new diet for one month. What do birds eat?' _Botan seemed a bit nervous at that and Kagome grinned at her a bit.  
  
"Seeds, mostly. Maybe small nuts. The rest of you, you're probably going to have to eat meat. Lots of it. Inuyasha, you buy overly large portions of meat sometimes, can you help me out?"  
  
"Keh. 'Course I can. Get some money and come with me." The hanyou had already bounded to the edge of the property, glaring impatiently as Kagome stared at where he'd been a moment ago. Finally she shrugged and went inside. She came out with a jacket and her wallet, already giving instructions.  
  
"None of you break anything. I guess you'll all be sleeping here for a while so work out where. I imagine you'll want to sleep inside despite your forms, at least some of you. Don't use Mama or Grandpa's room. Everything else is okay, the living room, and the other bedrooms, go ahead. Shippo, Souta, help them rearrange anything if it's needed. Keiko, if you want to stay over to that's fine." Kagome rushed out everything, going over a checklist in her mind of what needed to be said. In exasperation as Kagome looked like she was going to go on, Inuyasha yanked on her wrist and started pulling her down the shrine steps.  
  
"You can watch the TV too! Souta, keep looking for more updates on the miko network, I left the girls a notice. Oh! And- Mpfh!" Apparently Inuyasha had effectively cut Kagome off, dragging her down the street and glaring at anyone who gave him strange looks for half carrying a young woman down a public street with his hand over her mouth.  
  
"Um, I do want to stay the night, but can I go home and get some things first? I won't be able to stay here all the time, but I should be able to stay here at least a couple of days out of every week. I can keep you guys company! Oh, and I'll tell Shizuru what happened when I go home. I'm sure eventually Koenma will show up wanting to know more about what happened, she can tell him." Keiko stood up from where she had sat to listen to the story and followed the miko and hanyou in exiting the shrine.  
  
Shippo was studying the leftover five as they looked eagerly back at him. "Before I continue with the story of the Shikon Jewel, why don't you tell me some of what you've heard about it. That's always good for a few laughs, right Souta?"  
  
"Hell yeah. No one ever gets it right." The two grinned at each other as both Youko and Botan took offence.  
  
_'I assure you, what I have heard will be the truth. I in fact know where it is this very day. It was thrown into a volcano with many wards and charms on it to keep it there for all eternity, and so that the box it is in would not burn up. That way the Shikon Jewel can not find a new way to be free.' _Youko's eyes gleamed proudly as Souta and Shippo gave each other considering looks. Then Souta's lips twitched and his eyes sparkled. Shippo seemed to be digging one little fang into his lip.  
  
"Bwahahahahaha!" Both boys cackled at the same time. Souta found he was having a hard time breathing. "Volcano...That's new. Remind me to tell sis."  
  
"Right. Almost as good as the one where someone told us quite seriously that aliens had picked it up and taken it to Mars," Shippo got out through giggles.  
  
_'See Youko? I know where it is. Its locked up perfectly safe in the highly guarded safe in Reikai.' _Botan said smugly. Hiei put his two cents in at that point.  
  
_'The closely guarded safe that Kurama, Gouki, and I easily broke into? I think not. We would have sensed it. No, it's on the Ice Maiden's islands, as unobtainable as they themselves. Who else would a miko trust it too than a demon race of peaceful, self producing females?' _Souta and Shippo blinked in shock. No one had ever thought of that!  
  
"That actually might have been a good place to hide it. Not many do get up there," Souta murmured aside to Shippo.  
  
"Yeah, but what if one did? That's all it would take," Shippo cast back.  
  
_'So where is it? In reality?' _Yusuke seemed to be the only one not getting in to it, as Kuwabara had miraculously agreed that the Ice Maidens were the safest bet. Perhaps just because he was loyal to Yukina.  
  
"Oh, its around the present Guardian's neck. Kikyou's reincarnation. Remember her?" The other four stopped fighting and looked at them eagerly.  
  
"I'll tell you more of the story tomorrow, or Souta, Kagome, or Inuyasha will. Right now we do have to get things organized." Shippo clapped his tiny paw-hands together and shooed them all inside.  
  
Sleeping arrangements underwent many different transformations. Eventually, in exasperation, Souta left his room open, deciding just to sleep wherever he could. Immediately Youko claimed the room for himself, and Keiko when she was over. Yusuke would have tried to argue, or at least been in there himself, but everyone had agreed to that, and Yusuke knew he would probably jump out the window in exasperation if he spent even one night in the same room as the silver kitsune.  
  
Kuwabara, in his overly large lion form, simply took the living room. Souta obligingly moved some cushions and blankets out there, moving the couch and TV to one side and setting at least half the room up for just a sleeping spot for him.  
  
Botan twittered about everywhere, and seemed likely either to sleep on top of the refrigerator in the kitchen, or in the bookshelf in the living room. It depended on if Kuwabara's lion form snored as much as his regular one did.  
  
Hiei went down that hall into another room, which Yusuke's nose was telling him smelled the same as the hanyou. He thought so anyway. He was still unsure about the whole sniffing being one of his major senses now. What the fire apparition was doing in there Yusuke didn't know. Perhaps he just assumed the hanyou would sleep outside. Perhaps he was going to sleep outside except when he didn't have to, and knew that one would always have an open window. Yusuke didn't know.  
  
So it was that Yusuke realized that he really didn't have much of a place to sleep. All the rooms available were taken. Perhaps he'd just sleep in the hallway. Yusuke thought it over and growled out loud. Why the hell did he get the last pickings?  
  
By the time everyone did begin to settle down for the night Souta had resolved to sleep on the couch, snores or no snores, and was presently looking at the still angry black wolf in exasperation. "Just sleep in sister's room. She said everything was available. She won't even notice. Inuyasha's probably having her carry the meat to build up her strength' which is why they're taking so damn long getting home. Believe me, she's used to having strange things in her bed."  
  
_'Sleep in a girls room? No thanks kid, I'll find somewhere else to sleep.' _Yusuke turned away, padding up the stairs, determined to do just that. Yet, eventually he found himself in front of a half open door that the wolf instincts in the back of his head were identifying as "female, human" by the scent. When his chocolate brown eyes peered in, he found creamy walls and what could only be Kagome's room.  
  
It wasn't that bad for a girls room. The only stuffed animals seemed old and sentimental. There was a computer on top of the desk in one corner, and not many decorations. The most girlish thing about the room was probably the lacy curtains.  
  
Yusuke groaned inwardly, but he was tired, and he didn't think any of them had their normal amounts of energy. The spell the demon had cast had taken much out of them, and Yusuke doubted it would return this month. Otherwise he, Hiei, and Youko wouldn't need much sleep at all.  
  
Before he even realized he had taken even one step, the Toushin turned wolf had padded softly into the room and climbed up onto the bed, laying down almost full length on the side closest to the wall. By the time the miko got home, he had been sleeping for almost two full hours and didn't seem to be waking up anytime soon.  
  
The fact was, Souta had been entirely correct. Inuyasha had made her carry the meat that would hopefully last the month, halfway across Tokyo back to her shrine, after they'd taken about two hours carefully selecting it. When asking in frustration about it getting bad halfway home, Inuyasha had commented this was one of the few people in town who had charms on their meat. It would keep.  
  
So Kagome had carried the meat, amidst stares and laughter, back to her shrine, where she had carefully put as much of it as she could into the freezer and then in any other cold and out of the way place. She barely noticed the blue jay on top of the fridge, or any of the other animals. She even went into her room and took out her pajamas without noticing the quietly slumbering wolf.  
  
She was cleaned up as fast as she could and found a tired baby kitsune outside of her door as she stumbled towards it. Without a word they both entered. Kagome saw the intruder on her bed and annoyance flickered across her face before acceptance. She exchanged a glance with Shippo.  
  
"I don't care. More body heat," the kitsune said in response to the pointed look.  
  
"Not like I'm not used to having strange things in my bed. At least he left enough of it for me to sleep. Glad I don't have my old bed, otherwise I'd be sleeping on the floor. That was too small." With a yawn after her short speech Kagome climbed into bed, ignoring the black wolf less than a foot away. Neither demon turned wolf nor miko touched, but by the time the first colors of dawn touched the sky they had both curled up slightly around the kitsune.  
  
---------------  
  
Please review and tell me what you thought. And thank you to FoxylilRaven, Winged Knight, Nytingale, anime-lavuh, Reality, and Lnzy1 for reviewing! Just another story and/or chapter to upload before the birthday week is finished!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha.

**Q & A  
Pairings?  
**Patience. They're still in animal form, romance isn't the first thing on their minds. There is some, and there are hints if you look, but nothing will be stated for another chapter or two at least.

/.../

Chapter 3 - Memories

The first morning as everyone awoke found everyone sluggish. Only Hiei and Inuyasha, who had slept outside, were exempt for the clumsy early morning stumblings of humans and animals. Keiko walked out of what had formerly been Souta's room dragging a still sleepy white arctic fox behind her. He didn't appear to care, even when he was dragged down the stairs and into the kitchen.

She found that a couple of people were already up, surprisingly. The young kitsune, Shippo, was standing on the counter, rummaging through cupboards and taking out bowls for the humanoids and plates for the animals. Botan was also peering down from the top of the refrigerator, absently eating some seeds from a bowl that had been placed up there. Keiko looked around curiously just as a black wolf stumbled in sleepily, squinting up to find there was no food yet and laying down on the kitchen floor, yawning. Youko seemed to find Yusuke's example a good one to follow and slunk out of Keiko's grasp to curl up under the kitchen table.

Souta leaned on the frame of the kitchen door, rubbing at his eyes with one hand and yawning. The young teen glanced around and sighed, looking pointedly at Yusuke and Shippo. "Where's Kagome?"

"I tried waking her. You know how Kagome is sometimes." Shippo said, grimacing slightly, the fox cub sighing as he shook his head, pouring cereal into some of the bowls.

_'Me too. Even nipped her hand. All she did was hold the blankets tighter,' _Yusuke murmured telepathically in a sleepy voice.

"What were you doing in her bed, Yusuke?" Keiko asked as Youko perked up and swung his head towards the black wolf.

_'Only place left,_' Yusuke explained shortly. Youko put his white head back down with a thump. A month of being animals was looking to be very boring. Where were the interesting stories?

_'Where'd Souta go?' _Botan asked as she noticed the boy had disappeared. No one saw Shippo's smirk though both Yusuke and Youko could hear someone going up the stairs.

"Went up the stairs for something. He'll be back down in a minute. The meat will be ready soon." Even as he spoke he was dishing out plates of meat. One was significantly larger than the others and he was stopped from putting any meat on one of the medium sized one's by Hiei's sneering voice entering all their minds.

_'Don't bother preparing any for me. I can get my own food.' _Shippo grimaced. "Great. Unless we let him have ramen for breakfast Inuyasha will be hunting too. Well, he'd better remember where the edge of the shrine is."

"Hunting? Hiei's going to go kill something?" Keiko asked, her eyes a bit wide. Then she winced and shook her head. "Sorry. Silly of me. I'm just imagining him going off and killing some poor innocent rabbit."

_'Rabbit would be nice. I haven't been hunting in years...' _Youko was practically drooling, imagining hunting some delicious fat rabbit as it ran for its burrow. Or stealing some out of a farmer's hutch. The kitsune briefly wondered if anyone owned rabbits in the neighborhood. Surely just going out for a few minutes couldn't hurt him any.

"Kurama! You have perfectly good meat here. Why would you want to go hunt?" Keiko wrinkled her nose; it was wasteful to hunt when they had plenty of meat.

_'It's not the meat I'm after. The chase and the catch are the best parts. The most _exciting_ parts.'_ Youko's velvety voice held a double meaning and Yusuke looked at him sharply, but the whole house suddenly found attention drawn to the top floor at a sudden screech.

"AAAAAHHH! COLD, COLD, _COLD_! I'm going to _KILL _you, you stupid brat! Come back here Souta!" There was a sudden thunder of footsteps as the Higurashi siblings raced down the stairs, the younger making it to the living room before he was tackled by the older and soaked-with-ice-water sibling.

"Souta, do you have to wake her up that way every time she sleeps later than you'd like?" Shippo asked, looking nervously as the two siblings wrestled across the living room, barely missing the overly large lion taking up about half of the room. Yusuke's head was tilted with his ears still back against his head from the high-pitched shriek.

_'What are they doing?' _ Kuwabara asked in sleepy mystification as he awoke to find them rolling across the floor in front of him. Shippo grimaced and shook his head. "The same thing they do almost every morning. C'mon, eat up and maybe I'll get to finishing more of that story."

Almost immediately all of the Spirit Detectives were in the kitchen, Kuwabara sitting in one corner attempting not to take up too much room despite his bulky feline body. Shippo chuckles. "I believe I left off with the new Guardian having just been taking the arrow out of Inuyasha, correct? Well she does that, and the hanyou finds that he's free of all restraints. Unfortunately for him, and fortunately for her, that won't last long..."

Shippo continued with the story and eventually Kagome and a much more wary Souta joined them, Kagome being oddly quiet as the story progressed. Strangely enough every time one of them tried to but in with a question of whom the Guardian is, what her name is, she smiled, almost smirking. Only a little black wolf noticed.

/./

For a week things proceeded almost normally besides a few oddities. The Feudal stories finished with the sad tale of the defeat of Naraku and Inuyasha's mistake. Everyone still hadn't figured out who the Guardian was, despite the many hints. Well, Yusuke was beginning to be suspicious that it was a certain mood swinging miko. Kagome had taken to calling them by nicknames and rarely used their real names anymore.

Another oddity was the way they began acting. Kagome was a bit worried about that. She had thought her mood swings got bad. By the end of the week they were either moping around, or looking like everything around them was potential food. It was surprisingly Inuyasha who figured it out.

"They're home sick. And have a bit of cabin fever being cooped up in the shrine. The girl helps a bit, but they're definitely homesick. Notice the dragon doesn't act as bad? Their new animal instincts are harder to control this way. I bet human things are beginning to get foggy for them too. It happens to demons who stay in animal forms too long as well." Kagome was still trying to figure out how to fix that when the worst thing possible happened. The two canines of the group began to fight.

All Kagome had to do was take on look at them to know they weren't right. Their new instincts had taken over again. Why they were fighting she didn't know. They'd probably gotten angry at each other over something small like everyone had been doing lately. The miko didn't actually care. She just saw them fighting and heard Keiko, who was just there for the day, let out a choked gasp.

The fight was vicious, but all Kagome did was run into it. She could hear Inuyasha yelp out his usual yelling of her name when she was putting herself in danger. Shippo added his too. Souta didn't. At least one of her family trusted her to do something right.

She took a deep breath as she looked from one to another. Both had their ears pricked forward and the fur on their spines was standing on end. They barely looked like they were noticing her. She had no chance to take down the black wolf. That left the fox, whose ears were flicking down in a more defensive aggressive motion. That clinched it.

Kagome darted to one side and then attempted to get near the fox. Youko turned, his eyes holding none of their usual intelligence and tried to snap at her. She snorted and dodged. She hadn't spent years fighting demons and not gotten any benefits. As quick as she could she flipped the fox onto his side, pulling his legs out from under him and pressing his muzzle into the earth. She looked up to see a snarling black wolf stepping forward aggressively. "Yusuke! Youko!"

Both blinked as if hearing their names somehow fixed it. Kagome leaned backward with a sigh or relief as both their ears flattened to their skulls in embarrassment. Kagome breathed a shaky sigh of relief. She could feel everybody staring at her. That had been a bit reckless. You did not get in the middle of two canines fighting. Inuyasha was growling, which wasn't helping Yusuke or Youko's confusion.

_'What the hell was that?' _Yusuke finally yelled through telepathy. Keiko looked worried and Souta looked thoughtful. "Maybe the spell has some more side effects. Plus, so many animals in one place, even the most controlled being can snap. And you, at least, aren't used to being an animal."

Kagome backed up a few steps, allowing the arctic fox to get to his feet. Youko giving her a considering look before paying attention to the explanation. _'What can we do to prevent it happening again?'_

"I don't know if there is anything you can do. Perhaps something to remind you of your human - or demon - selves, but the demon will find you if you go outside the shrine for too long, so I don't see how this would be possible." Something prickled in the back of Kagome's mind as Souta spoke and she took a few steps back to a nearby tree, not having to look up to know there was a small black dragon up there.

_'You can shield one going out. The kitsune kit has illusions.'_ Kagome frowned and glanced at her kit. While Shippo was better at illusions now than when they had first met, she didn't want to put him in danger.

_'They won't survive the month without something to remind them.' _The fire apparition's sharp mental comment had Kagome wincing before she looked at Shippo. He turned his head almost immediately. They had gotten used to feeling stares on their backs and feeling the different degrees in them.

She indicated with her head that they should move around the side of the shrine. Shippo followed quietly, managing to make himself unnoticed. Hiei was silent as he flew above. Souta continued to discuss the problems and how they could fix it with the detectives turned animals, minus one dragon. If he noticed them leaving, he didn't even bat an eyelid in their direction.

"Mama? What are we going to do to fix their problem?" Kagome's eyes widened in startled confusion. He was more observant than she gave her adopted son credit for.

_'We are going to find the fox's book of photos.'_ Hiei announced before soaring off above them. Kagome glared upwards. "Gee, thanks for asking beforehand. C'mon Shippo, can you reach as high as he is and make an illusion for both yourself and fire breather up there?"

"Of course I can... For how long?" Shippo's green eyes dimmed in worry. He could do two illusions. He could! But for how long could he keep them up?

_'Two hours.' _Kagome winced at the answer. Inuyasha was going to kill her when she got home. Shippo looked up at her questioningly. She sighed and rubbed at her temples. "Let's go."

/./

It surprisingly took a whole hour for anybody to notice anything amiss. Perhaps it was because Souta was doing an excellent job at turning their attention somewhere else. But Keiko looked up at one point and frowned, searching the area. "Hey guys, where did Kagome go?"

There was a pause and suddenly Souta found the sky very interesting. He had seen them leave after all. Yusuke and Youko both turned around, automatically looking for Hiei, seeking the other member of their group. Yusuke gave a low growl and Youko gave a small snarl. _'Hiei's gone as well.'_

"Oh. Well... Perhaps..." Keiko sighed and trailed off, unsure of where they could be. Hiei wasn't allowed to leave the shrine after all. At least, that's what had been said.

There was the slightest rustle of leaves and Inuyasha scowled as he looked down from the trees. After the canine fight the hanyou had left, going hunting on his own and making one less canine presence in the shrine. "Where's Kagome?"

There was a brief pause before Souta answered brightly, "Oh, she went off with the dragon and Shippo about an hour ago."

Birds were shaken from their perches at Inuyasha's loud response.

"WHAT!"

/./

Kagome stared at the window of the house in front of them and tried to understand how that kitsune had done that. Sure, he had control over plants, but even the grass, short as it was, was trying to stab them. And he wasn't even here!

"It's your friend. Can't you do anything?" Kagome looked up accusingly at the dragon circling above them.

_'It is not my home. They do not recognize me.' _The rose vines had curled around Kurama's window and refused to let even Hiei in. Shippo was taking a brief breather in his illusions and crouched down, ready to transform.

"I can do it!" Shippo jumped as high as he could and transformed into his pink bubble, floating up toward the vine covered window. Strangely, the vines didn't lash out at him and he managed to float right into the window, much to the consternation of the two watchers.

_'The plants must not be smart enough to recognize individual signatures, only species related ones. Despite being different types, Shippo must be close enough to Youko's kind to be able to get into the room.' _Hiei's calm explanation would have been taken better if he wasn't trying to burn the plant to the ground.

"Found it !" Shippo exclaimed suddenly as he reappeared, throwing himself out of the windowsill and into Kagome's waiting arms. He appeared tired and Kagome frowned.

"Shippo, can you transform into a fox and use your illusions at the same time? Then you would only have to keep one illusion up at the same time." She took the small photo album he was holding and absently handed it to the dragon that grabbed it with his teeth and hovered there, glaring at them silently.

"Sure!" In her arms the kitsune transformed into a normal sized fox. Or, he was the size of a full-grown fox but he looked like a kit. Thankfully, being under a century, he only had one tail and though odd, it wasn't exactly an unnatural demon she was holding anymore.

"Good. You keep the illusion on Hiei, I'll carry you, and Hiei can carry the album. Everyone good? Great, let's go home before Inuyasha has a heart attack." The fox cuddled into her arms and Kagome ignored the dragon still glaring at her as they started home.

/./

It had taken the predicted two hours to get to and from Kurama's house. Kagome was wary about actually climbing the steps in front of her, but Hiei had already flown into the protective wards and Shippo had dropped his disguise and scampered up the stairs.

Kagome turned to look over the city and wondered if the feeling that _something_ had noticed them was just her imagination. Whatever had done this to them was still out there, and it could have been watching for them. Or her own paranoia could have fooled her. She dismissed it as the familiar roar of her name from a furious hanyou reached her ears.

She took the stairs at a reluctantly fast pace. Once she stepped inside the wards two clawed hands grabbed her and shook her slightly. "What the hell were you doing? What under the fucking sun could you've been thinking? Don't you dare ever do that again!"

Inuyasha dropped her with a surprised yelp as his hands crackled with pink energy. Kagome winced as she saw him staring at his hands and stumbled a few steps as she caught her balance. Then she drew herself up firmly and stared at Inuyasha. "I think I could ask the same thing of you, Inuyasha. I don't know when you decided I had to have your permission to go anywhere, but I suggest you undecide it right _now_."

"I did what I _wanted_, that's what I did. If you don't like it, Inuyasha, you can just leave! No one said you had to stay here anyway!" Inuyasha looked stunned as Kagome shouldered him aside and stomped inside.

"What's wrong with her?" Inuyasha muttered.

"You do crowd her too much. She isn't your responsibility anymore, and she needs her space." Souta was frowning at the hanyou and his eyes had a hard look to them. Inuyasha's ears flattened to his head, obviously surprised that Souta had taken Kagome's side.

_'Here.'_ Hiei dropped the album onto Youko's head. The fox snarled as it bounced off of his skull and he twisted around and jumped in one motion. Hiei barely missed getting bitten as the fox snapped his jobs millimeters away.

Shippo sighed and opened the photo album to a random picture and tugged at the white fox's tail. "Look!"

Youko turned with a feral look in his eyes, ready to snap up the younger kitsune. The picture beneath him caught his eye and the wild look faded as he caught sight of a group picture, Hiei skulking in the background, Kuwabara and Yusuke obviously arguing over something with Keiko trying to separate them, while his other self watched them in amusement. Youko remembered Botan had been the one to take this picture.

_'You went to Shuichi's house to get a few pictures? Why?'_ Youko's inquisitive look was split between Shippo and Hiei, seeing as the miko girl had disappeared into her house.

"You were getting too much like animals. This is to remind you of who you were," Shippo chirped simply. Then he looked sharply at Yusuke. "Especially you canines."

Yusuke uncurled from where he had been napping under the God Tree and glanced down at the picture for a few moments. Then without a second look, he slunk toward the house and through the open door. Even Keiko stared after him for an instant. "What was that about?" she asked.

_'He's going to talk to the miko.'_ He announced.

"What for? He'll only get his head bitten off," Inuyasha stated, plainly sulking.

_'Perhaps, unlike some people, he'll be thankful that she risked herself for others. Perhaps he won't immediately start screeching about what she can and can't do,'_ Botan said acidly. She received shocked looks and she fluffed her feathers in annoyance.

"Females," Inuyasha grumbled, only to have a seed thrown at him. When he whirled to take a tantrum at Botan, the blue jay had flitted away.

Inside the house, Kagome was busy making herself tea. She didn't notice when Yusuke padded in and sat by the door, watching her with puzzled brown eyes. _'Why did you go out there and get it?'_

"It was the right thing to do. You were tearing yourselves and each other apart. It was only you and Youko this time, but what if it had been Kuwabara? Or Hiei? It was too dangerous to leave you like that. And... I don't want any of you going insane. Youko asked for sanctuary for all of you. I have given it to you." Kagome was leaning out the window as the tea bag soaked into a steaming cup of water.

_'Well... Thanks.'_ Kagome giggled at the awkward voice in her head.

"No problem, blackie." She hid her grin as he immediately bristled. It was fun to rile them sometimes, and remind them that they in words they were still the equal of anyone.

_'Don't call me that! I'm Yusuke!'_ He actually growled a bit. He forced himself to relax when she smiled over her shoulder at him and then reached out a hand and ruffled his fur.

"I know that. But you need a nickname and here I was, all ready to give you one."

_'You won't be able to do this when I'm normal again. I'm taller than you,'_ he said smugly.

"So? I can reach up as well as down."

_'You won't.'_ He said confidently.

"Don't bet on it," Kagome said.

/.../

Next chapter the second stage mark will hit, and Kagome finally gets to see them in their much more attractive human forms.

Reviewer responses:

Thank you to Foxylilraven, anime-lavuh, Reality, Lnzy1, Nytingale, Gizmo369, tbiris, inu.-sess.fan, sweet silver fox, Lady Akina, Night of the Raven!!!!!!!!, lady sakura, Addanc-TSC, Sukera, Anonymousfanfic, kogasmate05, SunStarKitsune, kitsune, anime luver, shadow miko, fox girl, blackrose113, Addanc88, RoxyFoxyKitsune, VB, and hidenseek for reviewing!

Winged Knight: At the third stage, or basically, when they get back to normal, then they get powers for their animal form as well as humanoid. In the second stage they get some strength back for their normal forms, but they're still weak in animal form.

Choas Babe: Sorry, Yukina wasn't there at the fight, so she wouldn't have received an animal form.

Pen Against Sword: While I do like Hiei/Sango pairings, Sango isn't even in this story. As for Hiei romances, I do try them, or I will be in the future of many stories, but they are usually a secondary pairing. Hiei can't be excluded from a story, but I don't think I would do well trying to make him in the spotlight all the time, he would get way OOC.

Jacklyn: Thank you very much! I love attempting "after year" stories, it's nice to have it appreciated! The Miko Network is an important detail that most people seemed to gloss over when reading, I'm glad you noticed it!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha.

Author's Note: Man, this chapter totally ran away from where it was supposed to go. Houjo jumped out from _nowhere._ But some of you kept asking that same question: Pairings? I say: Wait. You can keep guessing - some of you have guessed right. There are only two pairings I'm actually doing, and one's pretty secondary. Obviously the main one's Kagome. And because of not allowing review responses in the chapters, those of you who had/ will have questions I use the reply link - doesn't work for anonymous reviewers unfortunately, which is a pain.  
**  
FF. net has messed with what can be used as seperators again, so if you have this on story alert and got it twice, it's because I had to change the scene changes.**

--------------------------

Chapter 4 - "What do you mean she's with Houjo?"

Eventually, Kagura did show up and switched with Inuyasha. This developed into a whole new brand of problems as Kagura stared at them all, her face set into a scowl. Her ears were under an illusion, like every time Kagome had seen her since she had stumbled from the well with a stricken and guilty Inuyasha and had found the wind sorceress, looking unchanged, standing there impatiently. Obviously somehow she had figured out the date and remembered through the years. It had been a good thing too, since Inuyasha refused to return to his time and someone needed to teach him what went on in this era. Kagome hadn't been in any state to do it, and Inuyasha split his time between watching Kagome and living with Kagura while he learned.

Inuyasha had warned her about the demons turned animals of course, but it didn't make her any happier about it. She arrived on the top of the steps with a swish of a blue and black skirt and crossed her arms over her red blouse, glaring at the closest visitor, which happened to be Hiei. That was unfortunate, as no one was quite sure how to stop the two from trying to kill each other a few minutes later. They were doing quite a good job of it before Kagome dove for Kagura and Botan fluttered around Hiei.

Shizuru, Kagome found out, was Kuwabara's older sister, and the most interesting of the lot, personality wise. Kagome had seen plenty of tough guys, the cold ones, the smart ones, the cold and smart ones, the perverts, and was just plain sick of having so many males about. Even with Keiko and Kagura it wasn't the same. She could talk to Keiko, but not really say her mind about many things she wanted to. And Kagura was just plain unapproachable. But Shizuru, though not the most social, seemed to have a calm that wasn't wavered by anything - except her baby brother. But then, usually the other emotion plain on her face was anger - either at him or someone after him.

Kagome was sure the older girl would have been sick of her after a few days - but Shizuru showed no annoyance when Kagome continually sought her out to talk - even seemed interested. As she slowly learned, Shizuru was interested. Kagome was different, and Shizuru was glad to have another girl to talk to who knew and understood what the boys went through - knew it even better than Shizuru knew it. Shizuru could fight, but not like them, not even close to them. Kagome had the distinct impression that no one really approached the boys in strength. Considering the little information she had on them - most of it rumors - she was anxious to find out.

The one-month mark approached faster than Kagome would have liked, and the day of everyone seemed to be there, even Inuyasha, and no one could sit still. Youko and Yusuke had both snapped at each other a few times - and it had nothing to do with instincts this time, but more because Youko had made more than a few comments about Keiko, and the majin turned wolf was getting irritated.

The only person who wasn't in the immediate vicinity of the house was Kagome herself, who had gone out, first to the God Tree, and then when she was sure not even Inuyasha and Kagura were paying any attention to her, she had slipped off. She just needed a quick break. If what they said was right, then tonight she would have four men and a woman in her house along with the other guests already there - it would quickly degenerate into even more chaos. And Keiko and Shizuru were staying over; eager to see their boys back again. Kagome just needed to escape it all. Her feet quickly began to lead her down the nearest street.

She exhaled sharply in surprise as a voice said, "Hello, Higurashi," And she couldn't help but smile at Houjo beside her. He popped up where she least expected it. They had both long given up on trying to go steady - though he still asked her out on impromptu dates whenever he saw her and she looked well - emotionally well, since he had once mentioned that he had never actually seen her physically unwell except for that one time he had visited her at home. She knew then he suspected there was something more there - but he never asked her about it, just always seemed to be there when she most wanted to talk to someone outside of her immediate circle of friends.

"Houjo," She said warmly. "Funny how you're here," She said pointedly, smiling to show she was teasing.

"Not that funny. I work nearby," He answered and they walked peacefully together. They had both grown up and matured - he no longer was quite as naive about many things, but there was still an innocence about Houjo that Kagome relished - they never made good more-than-friends, despite how often they tried, but he listened well - now, anyway. Listened to her speaking about her problems without actually specifying what was wrong. He didn't know exactly what was going on - and he never asked. Sometimes, in her more regretful moments, she wistfully would imagine the could-have-beens. She very well could have married Houjo.

Except, despite the times she needed to get away sometimes, she did love her life well enough. She couldn't imagine her life without all of the supernatural elements in it.

"Would you like to go out for an early dinner, Kagome?" Houjo asked, and Kagome blinked in surprise. It was rare he actually used her first name. She looked at him, studying his expression. Maybe she wasn't the only one who needed to talk.

"I'd love to," She said, and threaded her arm through his as he led her off. Hopefully, with all of the commotion going on at her home, no one would notice she was gone until she was back. Doubtful, but she could always hope. She glanced at the sun and hoped that it wasn't an exact time from when they transformed - because then she wouldn't see them go back. Then again, she would seem them later in the day, and there was still the rest of the month. They could let her go off this once - and once Shippo smelled Houjo, he at least would know she was safe. He understood her need to go out into the regular part of the Human World and remind herself that she had once been a part of them - and it was partly for them that she fought.

---

"What do you mean she's with Houjo?" Inuyasha roared. Souta blanched a bit, but Shippo had lived with Inuyasha's screams and drama for far longer than Souta.

"Just what I said. She does go out with her friends sometimes, and once in awhile she and Houjo go on a... What did she call it?" Shippo paused, and then snapped his clawed fingers. " 'Casual date' she says. Mostly they're just friends."

_'Mostly?'_ Yusuke asked, feeling irritated by almost everything - Youko, Kagome, how slow the sun passed, the fact that the woman had once again gone off without telling anyone, and, most troubling, he was irritated that she was on a date.

"Huh. Considering that it took you over an hour to notice she was missing and track her to the street, I think she had a right to go off. It was a bit stifling here," Shizuru pointed out from her seat in a chair.

Inuyasha had been the one to discover Kagome missing, and he had followed the scent off of the shrine in a slight panic - and Shippo had followed. While Inuyasha had not recognized the scent except for a faint memory in his mind, Shippo had. It was only when they were back on the relative safety of the warded shrine that Shippo had told him - and the name Inuyasha did remember.

"But - doesn't she want to see the boys and Botan when they're back to themselves?" Keiko asked in surprise.

_'We will be in that form for twelve hours. I'm sure she'll see plenty of us,' _Youko offered, surprising everyone. The white fox made an attempt at a shrug and seemed annoyed when his fox-body refused to cooperate. _'Everyone needs some space - and some personal attention.'_ The gleam in his golden eyes turned wicked. _'And maybe more than a casual _date_. Perhaps what she really wants is some casual _sex_.'_

There were a number of growls at that, and a faint grumble from Souta saying, "Probably make her easier to live with if she did."

The growls stopped as a few heads turned to the boy, who shrugged uncomfortably. "What? It might. I mean, any relationship would probably make her happier, and even if it was just sex, she'd probably still be less stressed."

Despite the rather bold statements, Souta was struggling not to blush but Youko's chuckles had attention turning back to him. _'Kid has a point.'_ Slyly, he added, _'I know I always feel better after some sex.'_

'I think we're getting off topic here,' Botan pointed out reasonably. In their typical fashion of not listening to reason, the boys ignored her.

_'We should go find her. That demon that got us could be out there and might know she's sheltering us,'_ Kuwabara pointed out worriedly as everyone began chattering at once.

"Why would she need to go out on a date? She gets plenty of attention here. We listen to her," Inuyasha said sulkily to something Shippo had said.

_'You're all idiots,'_ Hiei stated into the room alive with telepathic sendings and physical sounds. It was in the midst of this that, between one moment and two, there were suddenly five less animals there and five more humans - or at least human shaped beings.

"Oh my," Keiko said faintly. Because they had just been animals - and animals didn't wear clothes. Neither were any of them.

Kurama sighed a bit in relief, despite the fact he was naked. At least he was himself again.

"Here," Shizuru said to Kuwabara and Yusuke. "I suspected this would happen." She looked toward the others and shrugged. "Couldn't get clothes for you three."

"Botan can borrow from Kagome," Souta said, carefully looking anywhere but the naked female. He'd learned his manners well. He elbowed Inuyasha and then glared when the hanyou blinked at him dazedly.

"Get her clothes," he hissed, and then quickly added, "And the rest of them if you can."

Inuyasha quickly looked at the rest of them and then with a quick grumble was bounding up the stairs. Botan had taken to hiding behind a chair. Kurama, with a sigh, had stood up as elegantly as possible and moved behind a couch. Hiei just crouched on the floor and glared at everyone who looked toward him. There was a lot of silence as Yusuke and Kuwabara put on their clothes and Inuyasha began throwing things down the stairs.

"Shorter than I expected," Souta commented to Hiei as he dropped clothes behind Botan's chair, carefully not looking. Hiei growled at him, and Botan gave muffled sounds of thanks.

"Probably no clothes small enough to fit _him _around," Yusuke said, flashing a grin at the fire apparition.

"Souta still has old clothes about," Kagura said unexpectedly. She had been oddly quiet since Inuyasha had found out Kagome was gone. She had been unashamed to admire the male bodies and was still doing so with Hiei, despite his growls. "Probably be a little off, but they'll do for the day. None of did consider clothing."

"Find something black," Kurama suggested as Souta handed him some clothes that Inuyasha had thrown down. They were some that Inuyasha kept at the house, and the red head stifled a grimace at the bright red shirt. The blue jeans weren't so bad - but the red practically screamed target, which was exactly what he didn't want to be.

"I'll go tell him," Souta sighed when no one made a move to go talk to the hanyou. The boy grumbled to himself as he left the room and they soon heard stomping on the stairs.

"So, what are we going to do about Kagome?" Yusuke asked, now dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans. No one answered him for a moment, and it was Kagura who, with a snort, answered him.

"Nothing. She went out, and she chose to go out. Even she needs a break sometimes. Of course," Kagura bared her teeth in a fierce smile, "That doesn't mean she won't get quite a lecture when she gets home, and if she leaves the shrine again without my knowledge I'll make her wish she had never met me."

"Not hard to do," Inuyasha muttered as he came in and threw a pair of black jeans and an old shirt of Souta's and the fire apparition. "She's probably regretted that a few thousand times by now."

"No," Kagura said smoothly. "Only a few hundred. You on the other hand, she constantly regrets meeting. I'm sure not a day goes by where she doesn't wish that."

The Spirit Detectives found that it was like watching a family fight - a dysfunctional family, and one that looked as if it was about to come to blows. They had started off at cruel teasing, but the hanyou looked as if he was about to lunge for the wind sorceress at any time. It was surprisingly the small kitsune who interrupted, his green eyes fierce and his tail puffed up in anger. "Stop it! She _never _thinks that. She's Kagome! She loves us too much to think that, and it's things like this why she wants to get away so bad! It's not them or the chaos, it's you two, and us, her family, sniping at each other and her! They just add to the chaos, but she's done this before and will keep doing it until you two stop being stupid!"

There was a wet look to his eyes, but the kitsune refused to let the tears come, and continued glaring at the older demons. Keiko and Botan both shifted uncomfortably where they sat, unable to get up without disturbing them, but not really wanting to see the two demons be dressed down. The rest of Yusuke's friends had no qualms about staring in fascination at the unfolding drama.

Yusuke, despite being in his own body now, didn't really feel anymore relaxed. They could fight all they wanted, but there was still another month before they fully recovered their powers, and the one in charge of them, this house, those damn wards, and who should have been there was out on a date. Yusuke wanted to go out and find her, and drag her back, if only to keep the hanyou and wind sorceress in line. It was tempting, despite the limitations still on them. Except, he had no idea where she was.

Eventually the argument lost its novelty, and first Kurama, and then Kuwabara and Hiei joined Yusuke as he stared out the window impatiently.

"I'm sure she can't stay out too long," Kurama said, but the part of him that was Youko was saying something entirely different, and Yusuke didn't look convinced.

"She has to come home eventually," Souta commented as he joined them, ignoring the argument with the rest of his "family". "She always does."

---

Kagome knew she was in for a lecture in the morning, but she thought it was worth it to talk and play the normal girl. Houjo even walked her home, and they both smiled at each other in that way that said, "Here we are again." It was a much more comfortable smile than it would have been years ago. Impulsively, she leaned up and kissed him. He actually blushed and she giggled a bit.

"Thank you," She said with feeling.

"It was my pleasure, Kagome-chan." His smile faded slightly and she frowned when he looked a bit hesitant. Then he continued, saying, "Whatever you're doing, I think it's good for you Kagome. You seem more... alive than you have in the past year."

She had blinked a few times before the thought really registered and she stared at him thoughtfully and said slowly, "Thank you again, Houjo. You've given me something to think about."

"You're welcome," He answered, and after a moment where they both stared at each other, he turned around and walked away, carefully not looking back. She turned from watching him and slowly climbed the steps. She realized it was later than she thought when she glanced at the moon. It was in the wrong position for the time of night she had thought it to be.

She was definitely going to get a lecture - but she didn't expect for a voice to ask, voice threaded with sarcasm, "Have fun?"

She recognized that voice, but as it was usually in her head, she jumped halfway out of her skin, almost falling back down the steps. A hand shot out and dragged her a few steps forward so they were both in the moonlight. She sucked in a breath, not expecting the demonic aura to be so strong from him, or for the difference of seeing him in real life instead of in a picture. "Hey Yusuke. Pictures don't do you justice."

She saw him start back in surprise and pulled her wrist from his grasp. She could have gone inside while he was still busy being shocked, but she did feel a bit guilty for leaving all of these people she was supposed to be helping without even a word.

Her lips quirked into a smile when he recovered and began to scowl at her. She tilted her head toward the house. "Anyone else awake?"

"Almost all of us - we weren't going to waste time sleeping when we're finally ourselves. Everyone else went to bed - though I think you're brother drugged Inuyasha." He was watching her for a reaction as he spoke and she carefully kept from doing anything but smile. Though she did make a mental note to thank Souta - since she was sure he had. Inuyasha never would have gone to sleep otherwise.

"Soon those after you will get impatient," She said with a sudden change of topic, beginning to walk - but not toward the house. Despite the dark, she knew every step by heart as she turned away from the sight of the well house and looked toward the God Tree.

Apparently willing to let it drop for now, Yusuke matched his pace to hers. "Then why haven't they attacked yet?"

"Probably trying to figure out how many other people are here, and how much effort it will take to get through the wards." Kagome reached out to touch the bark of the God Tree. It was the one constant in her life, and right now, when she could feel new demon presences in her shrine, and the one human and whatever Botan was exactly, she needed it.

"How much effort _will_ it take?" Yusuke asked, and she glanced over, squinting in the moonlight to see that he had sat down on one of the large roots, one leg stretched lazily in front of him.

"I don't know. It depends on who attacks, how strong they are, and their powers. If I knew more... But I don't. But if I hear of your enemies stirring, I can always have some of the girls strengthen the wards. Probably they haven't found us yet - but it can't be long. There aren't many places that could hide all of you - or would be willing to, by what I hear." Kagome turned around and settled against the trunk of the tree, slipping between two roots to sit on the ground. She had to turn her head to look up at him, but he wasn't looking toward her.

"The girls?" He asked.

"Girls from the Miko Network," Kagome answered and he nodded absently, obviously not paying attention to her anymore. She followed his gaze to the house and grinned.

"Kitsune flirting with Keiko?" She asked calmly, and knew she'd hit a mark when he growled.

"That was Youko. Kurama wouldn't do that," He answered. But his voice was unsure and Kagome snorted, glad she was safe from his glare, hidden by the darkness and sheltered by the God Tree.

"Really? Because I saw that photo album, and while there were pictures of all of you, there were more of Keiko than of anyone else - not so that you'd usually notice, but enough that if you look for it..." She let him finish the thought and then watched as he stood suddenly and head abruptly toward the house.

She was left alone - at least, she thought she was. She grimaced when another familiar-unfamiliar voice said, "They'll destroy your house in a fight."

She bent her head back to look into red eyes. She shuddered a bit, knowing she shouldn't, but red eyes always held bad memories for her. She stared a bit longer than she should have, pushing back the memories, and then closed her eyes against the sight, saying calmly, "They won't fight. Keiko won't let them."

"Leave them alone." This time it was a distinct command and Kagome opened her eyes, feeling a spark of anger. She wasn't doing anything wrong - she hadn't done anything at all except try and get herself out of trouble - though why _Yusuke_ had been waiting for her she didn't know. He certainly looked different as a wolf, that was sure.

"I can't do that when I'm trying to help them - and you." His eyes narrowed and she twisted around, trying to keep a tight lid on her temper. "I've done nothing wrong. If your kitsune friend does like Yusuke's girlfriend, he's the one doing something wrong, not I."

Hiei's aura flared, becoming brighter and stronger to her senses - and then disappeared completely. Frustrated, he slammed a fist into the bark of the branch he was sitting on. The branch rocked and dented, but didn't break. He snarled, "If I was back at full strength - "

"Then you wouldn't be on my property and I'd have strengthened the wards and used every mystical object in my possession to keep them up," Kagome interrupted.

"You wouldn't be able to keep me out," He sneered.

Kagome stood, apparently ignoring him. She brushed off her clothes and started toward the house. At the corner she paused, one hand on the wall, and looked over her shoulder to where she knew he was still crouched in _her _tree. "You'd be surprised at what I have in my possession."

The door opened with a slight creak as she turned the knob, and quiet angry voices were revealed to the night air. She could feel Hiei's eyes burning into her spine and she shut the door with more force than necessary. The voices went quiet and she could feel their curious stares.

Ignoring them, she went up the stairs and into her room, firmly forcing everything else out of her mind. She was going to sleep, and not a majin with personal problems or a scary fire apparition was going to stop her.

-------------------------------

All right, so she only saw two of them as normal - she'll see the rest next chapter. And this chapter definitely wrote itself. I refuse to admit responsibility, as nothing in this chapter happened as planned - and Houjo being in the story never crossed my mind.

Review please, and thank you to everyone who did. Read the note at the top if you're wondering why there are no responses. Oh, and I urge you all to go to my crossover forum in my profile... because I made one and I like people to visit.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or Inuyasha

--------------------

Chapter 5 - "We were looking for _you_!"

Kagome woke up to the familiar curled form on her bed - and a golden eyed one on the floor next to her. Sleepily, she raised an eyebrow and the kitsune raised his head, glancing at Yusuke's wolf form at the end of the bed before looking back at her.

_'Keiko kicked us both out of the living room, and out of Souta's room when she went to sleep - and he came in here. Once I was back in control and in this body, I saw no reason to sleep in the hallway, and the majin was already asleep, so he couldn't object,' _Youko explained calmly, though morosely. Kagome shrugged and ignored the look in his eyes that was asking for sympathy.

Halfway out the door and to the shower, she paused. "He was in here already? Before you transformed back?"

_'Yes,_' The kitsune answered smugly.

Determined not to give him anything else to be smug about, she gathered up an outfit and went to the bathroom, her pace quickening when she felt Inuyasha's familiar presence nearby. She slammed the door close behind her, seeing a silver blur out of the corner of her eye as she did. Curses came from the other side, and Kagome was quick to start the water. It was well know that no one came in when someone else was in the shower.

At least, it was known to her little "familyî. It was not known to the other recent members of the household, as she was quick to remember when a hesitant knock came at the door only a few minutes into the shower when she had just began to think on what Youko had said. Keiko's voice drifted through the air. "Kagome? Can I talk to you? In there I mean."

Kagome winced, having been looking forward to spending as much time alone and away from Inuyasha as she could - possibly until the hot water ran out. finally she asked, "Now? Is it that important?"

"Well... I'd rather not have the boy's overhearing it," was the answer. 

Sighing, Kagome leaned her head out of the running water and against the tile of the shower before calling out, a bit muffled by the wall, "Come in."

The door clicked open and then shut, and Kagome could hear Keiko shifting around the bathroom. She prayed that this _wasn't _going to be about Yusuke and Kurama. Surely the girl wouldn't ask someone she'd only know a whole month for advice on two boys who between them had more personality problems than Naraku had once had baboon suits. At least, she hoped he had more than one. Though that would have accounted for the smell...

"It's about Yusuke and Kurama," Keiko began hesitantly, and Kagome resisted the urge to slam her head into the wall. She was the wrong person to be asking for boy advice - she had dated Inuyasha, while both Kouga and Houjo had waited off in the wings - the sweetest boy on the whole planet, and the most devoted demon there ever was, and she had chosen _Inuyasha_. Not that in the end she had stayed with him - but at the time, considering her choices, she had possibly chosen the worst possible boy - of course, he could be sweet at times, and he did protect her - but in the end, it hadn't been her that had needed protecting.

"Go on," She sighed, unable to help herself. She couldn't deny Keiko. She needed help, and Kagome would give it.

"Well..." Keiko hesitated, and trailed off.

"Yusuke and you are together but now you're feeling something for Kurama and your wondering that if the whole meant-to-be-since-childhood thing might just be because you never thought there would be anyone better and who you could or would love more?" Kagome washed the shampoo from her hair and wondered if she should just do both their lines. The conversation would get over more quickly.

Instantly she felt contrite. She was just moody because she hadn't had enough sleep, Inuyasha was going to kill her, and because she was being threatened by someone she was trying to protect. And of course, because of Yusuke. Guiltily, she reminded herself his girlfriend was sitting outside her shower and pushed everything make her ill tempered off to one side of her mind.

"Well... Yes!" Keiko exclaimed, sounding surprised. "That's it exactly. What should I do?"

Kagome frowned, and chewed at her lip. She didn't know how to settle that one. She tried to think of what Miroku would say, and instantly blushed. No help there. He would probably have told her to try them both. Swallowing down _that_ highly inappropriate thought, she asked, "Why don't you just take a few days to think of which you like better?"

"Well, for one, Yusuke's noticed my behavior - and I already tried that," Keiko sighed.

"What about which you would be happier with?" Kagome tried.

Keiko was silent for a few minutes and Kagome washed in peace, almost expecting the girl to leave. "I can't know that - but... Well..."

"Yes?" Kagome prodded, reaching for the soap.

"I think Yusuke would be happier without me," Keiko blurted out. The soap slipped out of Kagome's hand and hit the floor with a wet thud. Kagome didn't notice, because she had pulled aside the curtain just enough to peak her head out and stare at the fidgeting Keiko.

"What do you mean? I thought... I mean, he's the one who seems to be holding on a lot harder. No offense." Kagome tilted her head, eyes wide in confusion.

"I know what it looks like - but he's more angry at Kurama for flirting than me to straying - he gets in fights with Kurama, not with me. And... he's a little hurt by it, but not as much as he should be. I know it sounds silly, but I do know him - I'm just wondering if he wouldn't be happier with someone else. And I know I can't keep saying that we're together or that we'll get married soon if I'm thinking this." Keiko looked so depressed that when Kagome moved her head back into the shower, it was to hurry with the rest of her cleaning.

"You know what we'll do once Inuyasha had finished with me?" Kagome asked, grimacing at the thought.

"What?" Keiko asked, sounding hopeful.

"We're going to talk to my mother. Or, at least, be around her. Mama knows exactly what to say - and what not to say. I think it's time you got away from them anyway," Kagome said firmly.

-----

_'Again?'_ Yusuke asked in exasperation as he tore up the meat Souta had handed him. _'Where's Keiko, then?'_

Souta debated pointing out that the demon's priorities should probably be the other way around, and then studied those teeth for a moment. No, it was probably better not to mention it. "With Kagome."

Youko raised his head from his own meal and two pairs of intent eyes focused on the boy. _'They're both out there. Alone. When there's a group after us - and possibly anyone they can use to get to us? I'm sure they must know it's the miko by now - and Keiko's a very nice target to go after.'_

The boy rolled his eyes. "That's a stupid excuse for going after them. You should get a better one before you get there. But I'll give you the directions."

He paused before smirking at them both. "I'll be giving both of you the directions, by the way, just so I don't have to repeat them."

Youko didn't pretend to be shocked, just waited as Souta consulted a piece of paper and then listed off street names and directions. His memory was excellent - though he knew Yusuke's was less so. Still, the wolf form he was in could easily keep up. There was just a little problem. _'I think it may be odd for a wolf and a white fox to walk around Tokyo. Just a bit.'_

Souta shrugged and said carelessly, "Not my problem. Wait until Shizuru visits today and get her to drive you. Or just wait until you have your own forms. I couldn't care less."

Yusuke watched him walk out, and then looked at the angry kitsune. _'We'll wait, Kurama. Besides - _' There was a hint of malicious mischief in his voice as he continued, _' - It'll be more interesting this way.'_

'If by interesting you mean this way we can at least look down on Keiko when she yells at us, yes, it will be. Of course, you have two girls to worry about, don't you?' Youko studied his paw as he spoke, apparently intent on the white fur and sharp claws.

_'I don't know what you're talking about,'_ Yusuke tried, but his attempt fell flat when Youko gave a harsh barking growl - it sounded amused.

_'Tell that to someone who didn't see you watching her sleep,' _He said smugly, and jumped sideways just in time as large jaws snapped at the spot he had been a heartbeat before.

_'I was making sure she was all right,'_ Yusuke growled.

Youko regarded him with knowing gold eyes and yawned hugely, sauntering out of the room, stopping only for the parting shot of, _'She didn't smell like sex last night. I'm sure you'll rectify that later.'_

'I wouldn't cheat on Keiko,' Yusuke snarled, lunging for the fox again, but only half-heartedly. The kitsune knew he'd struck something.

_'It's not cheating if Keiko doesn't want you anymore,'_ Youko shot off before sprinting into the living room, Yusuke hot on his heels. Probably there would have been a major confrontation if a huge paw hadn't come out of nowhere and batted them both to opposite sides of the living room. Kuwabara loomed above them both, but he didn't stop Yusuke from growling and baring his teeth at Kurama.

"Stop that," Kagura said as she changed the channel on the TV, apparently ignoring the danger the two canines presented to the safety and continued good health of the furniture.

_'Fuck, no wonder Kurama never let you run free,_' Yusuke sent.

_'Idiot. I am Kurama. So is he. We are both Kurama, and sometimes we are one, and sometimes we just... aren't. It's a matter of upbringing and souls. Too complicated for _you _to understand.' _Youko dove under the couch, wriggling fiercely to fit, and yelped when teeth dug into his tail and began to pull him backward. For the first time he could remember, Youko wished he were a cat, if only because then he could dig his claws into the carpet.

Suddenly, his tail was let go and Yusuke let out a yelp. Hiei's mental voice sounded as Youko caught the smell of flames. _'Stop this. Now.'_

Youko turned his head and caught Yusuke's gaze. Then they both looked at Hiei's smaller dragon form, and then back at each other. Silently, they agreed to continue it later.

-----

By the time Yusuke and Kurama - the red headed one - made it to the end of the directions, it was well after dark, and after ending up back at the shrine multiple times, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Botan were now guiding them along. Souta had been too amused by the two of them constantly getting lost to help, Inuyasha was still pouting in his room - apparently his scolding of Kagome hadn't gone so well - and Kagura hadn't even looked at them as they trooped out. Shippo, of course, pretended to be asleep the whole time.

"It's a house," Yusuke observed. "A small one, but still - why do they even need another house?"

"Considering Kagome accepted us into the shrine within a few moments, perhaps it was prudent of them to buy one," Kurama suggested. He had put the other three between him and Yusuke because despite the fact it had been Youko who had said and done everything, Kurama didn't think Yusuke would buy that.

"She is a bit impulsive in matters where the supernatural need help, isn't she?" Botan asked rhetorically as they all walked toward the house. It was a tiny house, and obviously not meant for a whole family - only for the mother and the grandfather.

Yusuke had only knocked twice when a woman opened the door, middle aged and with a smile on her face. She stared a moment at the four boys and the blue haired girl before swinging the door wide open and point to a large open space with a tv and couch. "They're in there."

Kurama slipped in first, hoping to gauge the damage before Yusuke started in. A few steps in he stopped short and stared, causing Yusuke to bump into him. Without turning his head, Kurama reached out a hand and covered the majin's mouth before he could begin swearing. His red hair swung forward when he jerked his head toward the two sleeping bodies on the floor.

The TV had evidently been showing a movie before as it now was showing nothing but a blank screen and a tape was sticking out of a VCR. Keiko was using one of Kagome's outstretched arms as a pillow and both girls looked particularly at peace.

"Good luck with the lectures," Botan said, not bothering to conceal her amusement as she skirted around the boys and went around the edge of the room toward where Kagome's mother had disappeared. Kuwabara followed her - and Hiei had disappeared entirely.

"Well. This is going different than expected," A nonplussed kitsune stated. The amused mental voice in the back of his mind agreed. The youko seemed to find the whole situation highly amusing, and Kurama ground his teeth in annoyance before taking a few quiet steps forward to stare at the girls.

"What are you doing?" Yusuke asked suspiciously, but his own curiosity drove him forward.

"Making sure they're really asleep," Kurama replied, and added on at Yusuke's questioning look, "They are."

"Huh. We come all this way to make sure they're fine and they're fast asleep," Yusuke grumbled, and inched forward. Kurama watched the hesitation as he reached between Kagome and Keiko, and then, surprisingly, he went to shake Kagome. The red head suddenly wondered if Youko was seeing something he was missing. Perhaps the teasing wasn't baseless after all.

Before Yusuke could touched her, the miko's eyes snapped open. For a moment before she was fully awake they were confused and out of focus - and then she began cursing, climbing to her feet and batting away Yusuke's hand. "Morons! You've led them right to you!"

Kurama knew instantly what she was talking about. Most of their power wasn't present, thanks to the spell, and they were weak right now - but his heightened senses weren't a part of his physical power and he could smell them now through the still open door. Not many - perhaps a bit more than a dozen. Enough to cause problems for the weakened five.

Keiko raised her head blearily as Kagome swept past all of them and grabbed her bow that was leaning against the wall outside the door. Yusuke looked a bit stunned - but followed her anyway, despite the fact that their youki was weakened. Kurama glanced around and noticed Kuwabara was doing the same. With a sigh, the red head looked at Keiko and told her, "Stay here. There are demons outside. We'll be back in a few minutes."

He didn't actually know that they would - but he hoped that the demons were simply weaklings that even weakened they'd be able to take care of. It was to his mild surprise that he was not only right, but that Kagome had taken care of half of them with her bow before Yusuke had even killed his first. Of course, Kurama knew that in a month's time, that would be opposite the present situation.

There were actually almost two dozen - and they were on them just as Hiei dropped down from a tree to stand nearby. Silently Kurama changed his ever-present rose into the Rose Whip and stepped up to kill his first opponent. He kept an ever-present tab on his companions and was surprised to notice that when Kagome dropped her bow - useless at short range - that she didn't pull out another weapon, but instead fought with her fists and feet, her miko energy saturating the air.

Kurama also didn't miss the way Yusuke's gaze strayed almost admiringly to the miko in the few spare moments. Even Youko seemed slightly surprised. If his comments hadn't had a basis in reality before, they did now. But the fight was fairly short, and the enemies fairly weak - though they all still felt frustrated and tired at the end - if they had been at full strength, any one of them could have taken all of them on, instead of just a couple each and leaving the bulk to Kagome to kill.

Furious blue eyes glared at all of them before the ash had settled around her and Kurama almost followed in Kuwabara's footsteps as the human took a hesitant step backward. The miko's fierce glare seemed unable to settle on any one of them, and she finally just settled on glaring at the air somewhere in the middle of them. "What did you think you were doing? There was a reason you were hidden behind wards! You may not be able to use your powers properly, but your presence fills the air, and it's impossible to miss! You could have gotten us all killed!"

Kurama racked his brains for a way to smooth it all over - but then Yusuke had to open his mouth. "We were looking for _you_! You and Keiko just fucking ran off for whatever stupid girly reason behind this, and we were trying to make sure you didn't get killed!"

Kurama closed his eyes for one moment in frustration, and then opened them to move slowly and silently toward the door as Kagome turned all of her furious attention onto the majin. Keiko was watching the scene through wide, alarmed eyes, and the kitsune ushered her inside, saying softly, "They'll be alright. They just need to yell for a bit to work out their frustrations."

"Won't it just make it worse?" She asked.

Behind them, Kagome had found words for Yusuke, and none of them sounded the least bit apologetic. "You _knew _where we were. Don't use us as an excuse for your own hare brained ideas, Urameshi Yusuke! We aren't the ones with people after us, you are!"

"Like it's difficult to see who's sheltering us! You're the one who pointed out that it wouldn't be long!" Yusuke snapped.

Watching them, Kurama sighed. "Yes, it might make it worse. But they've begun already, and it will be worse if we stop it."

Keiko had a strange look in her eyes as she stared at Yusuke, and then slowly her gaze trailed toward the red faced miko. She allowed herself to be pushed inside, but there was a thoughtful look on her face when she sat down, and Kurama couldn't help feeling he'd missed something as the yelling continued outside.

"Well, now they definitely know, thanks to you!" Kagome screeched.

"And what if they were already coming here? You wouldn't have had any fucking backup!" Yusuke ground his teeth at having to refer to himself as "backup".

Before Kagome could make a potentially hurtful retort, a sharp voice interrupted them. "Children, you stop that! Kagome, why don't you clean up the mess left behind, and boy, gather your friends and go home - you should all get back to the wards. Once you get there, I'm sure you'll both have calmed down enough to talk about this like rational beings."

"Doubtful," Someone sighed as Kagome's mother finished her speech. Yusuke threw a vicious glare at Botan, who did her best to look innocent.

"Fine," Yusuke and Kagome snapped in unison, and Kagome busied herself with the task of purifying the demon bodies.

-----

Kagome couldn't say that the walk had calmed her temper much - but it had made her realize how much she had single mindedly gone after them out of her own guilt - because Yusuke could have been right. They could have been following her, and she had been the one to put her family in danger.

It also made her realize that this was the first time she had seen them under clear lights, even if it was under street lights. Pictures really didn't do them justice. Even Kuwabara, the plainest of them, had a certain innocent charm to him, and certainly the other three were what her friends would have easily termed as eye-candy. Even Hiei, with his red glaring eyes had her attention a bit. Mostly it was still Yusuke - of course, this could be because he was radiating anger and aggression still, and it was getting on her nerves. But Keiko's fox _was _quite good looking, and she knew that at least Yusuke and Kurama had seen her looking - Yusuke because he had growled, and Kurama because he had done a funny little half smile that was just a quirk of his lips and made her blush with realization.

She hadn't been around this many good looking males since after the battle of Naraku - though so far, none quite matched Sesshoumaru in his lofty splendor. Or Kouga with his more rugged and wild personality. Though personality wise Yusuke came close, and Hiei was far from tame.

"The pictures just aren't as good, huh?" Came an amused voice from beside her. Kagome ducked her head to hide a blush as Botan fell back to fall into step beside her, and Keiko wasn't far behind.

"Don't worry, neither of us mind. I like looking quite a bit - though unlike Keiko, I don't think I could handle any of them," Botan said, seeming a bit wistful.

Keiko blushed, but admitted, "They are quite eye catching, especially standing together, and their personalities are very different - and each one of them calls attention to himself somehow, even by accident. It's a good thing they're mostly oblivious to it - they'd spend all day preening instead of fighting."

Kagome giggled, but before she could reply, an amused green gaze looked at them over his shoulder and said pointedly, "I can hear you three you know."

He smiled at the sudden abrupt silence and his eyes twinkled as he said. "It is nice to hear what you think of us."

Yusuke's head jerked up from contemplating a rock he was kicking over the dark sidewalk. He turned his head to fix brown eyes on the three girls. "What? What were they saying?"

As Kurama's smile grew, Kagome's face brightened and she pointed toward the stairs of her shrine. "We're home!"

The three girls bolted up the stairs fast enough that Kurama's hair was blown around in the wake of their disappearance. The other three boys turned curious eyes on him. Even Hiei looked marginally interested. The red head smiled mysteriously and made his way up the stairs.

Kagome had separated from the others to go to the God Tree for a nightly visitation and breathed in the calming aura around the tree. She knew before her hand fell on the bark that Yusuke was trailing after her. It wouldn't lead to either of them being calmer, usually, but he was coming toward her, and he would have questions on his mind - she just hoped he didn't want to argue more. It was too late at night to argue now.

"What is with you and this tree?" He asked. 

"It's calmer under here - always has been, and probably always will be. It's also the one thing my whole family can always count on as being there." She peered at him from under lowered lashed. The moon was still bright, but not quite at the right angle to see much of him. He wasn't looking at her - she could tell that much. She would bet he was looking toward the house - where Keiko was probably trying to figure out what she should say to both boys. That was a discussion Kagome wanted to be nowhere near.

"Why were you over there?" Yusuke asked casually. She gave him a dark look he couldn't see. If he thought that was going to trick her, he obviously had a lot to learn.

"My mother gives good advice sometimes, and Keiko needed some. Boys are difficult." She sat down on one of the larger roots, glad they extended so far up out of the ground. She tried to feel his aura, as flickering and weak as it was - but considering how weak it was supposed to make them, and that this was only the second day, they had to be extraordinary at full strength.

"I wouldn't know," Yusuke replied flippantly and she could just make out his silhouette copying her stance on another root. "So? What was the decision?"

Kagome sighed and stared down at the dark ground. "Yusuke... It's not my part to say."

"You just did," Yusuke muttered, his voice low and hard. There was just enough anger there to make her glance up again. There was nothing to see, but she tried anyway.

"This isn't any of my business," Kagome murmured and stood to leave. She winced when a hand shot up to grab her wrist, though out of trepidation, not fear. And damn, did everyone have better night sight than she did?

"Isn't it?" He asked levelly. "You helped her come to this decision."

Kagome froze, slightly startled, before she felt the anger uncurling in her middle, giving her enough energy to realize he was trying to pin this blame on _her_. Furious, she pulled her wrist from his grip, her hand glowing for a moment with miko energy. He swore in surprise.

"Don't even it try it, Urameshi," Kagome snapped, keeping her voice down. "I didn't tell her who to choose, and neither did my mother. This isn't my responsibility; it's hers, yours, and Kurama's! You think this wouldn't have happened if you weren't here? Then you're more blind than anyone ever credited you with."

Her perfect fit of rage would have been perfect if she'd been allowed to stomp off, but she had only made one step when she was pulled back and trapped against the bark of her tree. He was close enough that she could actually feel the growl vibrating in his chest. But he didn't say anything and she huffed and crossed her arms. "Can I go in now or are you going to actually say something before the sun comes up?"

"You're such a bitch," He hissed. She froze, and struggled against the automatic subduing command that came to her mouth. She closed her eyes and refused to be hurt by the insult that Inuyasha had called her more than once over the years. 

"Back off," She said after a few moments of silence, and her voice was cool. Yusuke didn't move. He did mutter something under his breath that was unintelligible to her ears.

"I shouldn't have said that," He offered, and there was a tiny note of apology in his voice. For some reason, that made her more furious. She had taken them in, she had tried to help them, but she didn't want to have to do with their drama.

"Back. Off," She repeated, this time letting the purifying energy gather in her hands.

"Kagome," He began, and his voice held too many emotions for her to pick any one out. She went with her first instinct and punched him. Or she tried to. He could see a lot better than her, and while her fist grazed his cheek, he caught it easily before she could pull it back. She glared, and wished she'd gone with an open palm instead - but then more energy was released, and she didn't really want to hurt him - just back off enough for her to bolt.

"I didn't fucking mean it," He explained, sounding frustrated. "I'm just pissed off."

"Be pissed off at someone else," She hissed, and tried to pull her wrist away.

"Who? How the hell can I be pissed at Kurama and Keiko? How many times have they been there for me?" Kagome blinked at the furious question and almost groaned. Someone save her from the emotionally blind and stupid.

"So you have to be pissed at me? Too damn bad for you! I didn't do anything!" She glared uselessly in his general direction and wondered if kicking him would do any good.

"Yes you did," he muttered. "You just don't realize it."

He released her wrist and was walking away before she had time to register that comment. Incredulously, she turned her head back and stared up at the branches of the trees. "I suppose that made some kind of sense to you?"

"Yes," A dark voice said from the tree, and she threw up her hands.

"That's because all of your are the same brand of crazy!" Kagome glared once more for good measure and then stomped on over to her house - but not to the door. She went to the back and climbed quickly up the tree closest to her window. She definitely wasn't going to go through the front door and hear the argument that would start. She tidied up, changed for bed, and left the door open wide enough for Shippo - or any other furred creature - to creep in and out. Shippo was actually already in bed, but she chose to ignore that fact as she curled around him.

She woke up briefly, feeling an itch on her back that had nothing to do with the material shifting on her back, and usually had to do with someone watching her. Very carefully, she kept her breathing even and tried to get a grasp on the auras around her. Kurama was still up, with mostly everyone else, enjoying the last few minutes before they changed back. Except Yusuke, who was watching her in a way that would have been creepy if his aura hadn't been so calm.

Deciding there was no real reason to pretend, she lifted her head and met his startled eyes straight on. Still a bit sleepy, but knowing exactly what she was saying, she nodded to a chair closer to the bed. "If you're going to do that, sit down. There's no reason for you to be uncomfortable."

"Surprised you're talking to me," He murmured, almost too low to hear.

"If I stayed mad every time someone called me a bitch, I would never have talked to Inuyasha for a good portion of the years we've known each other - though usually he used wench instead. Bitch seemed a word for special arguments." She shifted to sit up, careful not to dislodge Shippo, who had fallen asleep in the curve of her body.

"How'd it go?" She asked when he didn't say anything more.

"Badly," He answered shortly. Then he added almost unwillingly, "But not as bad as it could have been."

"And not as much pain as you thought there would be?" She asked, gently this time. She was careful to keep the pity from her voice.

"Yeah," He whispered, and she nodded. She waited, and then when nothing more happened, motioned to the chair again. This time he moved forward and sat.

She ignored his presence and settled back down - but moved Shippo to the other side, so they could sleep facing the chair. Shippo murmured a sleepy protest, but she ran a hand through his hair and the fur of his tail and he slowly settled back into slumber. Feeling more comfortable than she had in days, she followed him quickly.

-----------

End Part

Thank Rose for editting this for me when I couldn't seem to just get down and do it myself, otherwise who knows how long it would have taken to be posted! And if any of you wrote a review more than a couple of sentences, you should check your e-mails, many of you have replies - well, if you're registered and I could click the reply button at least.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho.

------------

Chapter 6 – "Pathetic, Kagome."

Oddly, Inuyasha and Kagura had left in the morning. Kagome had shrugged it off, apparently trying to pass it off as normal, but Yusuke watched her from his vantage point on the ground, especially when she kept glancing out worriedly at the sky. It was cloudy, even nearing stormy, but that didn't mean anything to Yusuke, so he continued watching her - besides, it helped him avoid Kurama, who seemed rather depressed for someone who had just won. So did Keiko, for that matter. He didn't know what they had to be sad about, but it was slowly affecting everyone else as they moped about the house.

He did stop and take a nap at one point, realizing there didn't seem to be any danger and Kagome wasn't about to tell him what was wrong. Their sleeping schedules had turned odd once they started becoming themselves half the time - they certainly didn't want to waste time, but their humanoid time was roughly four P.M. to four A.M.. They had to put that sleep in somewhere.

He awoke to a distant growl and was immediately on his paws, recognizing Youko's voice. It was a quick lope to the door, and he crouched down there, stopping for a moment to study the situation. There were girls out there. Most of them seemed to be around the perimeter of the property, moving around, but three of them were standing a short distance from Kagome. He didn't know what had been said, but Youko's teeth were revealed as he crept closer to them, low to the ground and clearly angry. He didn't look like the handsome fox right now, he looked enraged - and by the tight-lipped expression on Kagome's face and the hand on Keiko's shoulder, probably rightly so. Keiko was pale, and wasn't telling Youko to back off. That was very telling.

"I wouldn't try it, little fox. I don't care how much of a guest of Kagome's you are, I will kill you if you jump me," The eldest woman in front said, glaring at the kitsune. Hiei hissed from a tree, making one of the two younger mikos start and the one closest turn, swiftly knocking an arrow.

"Shoot him and you'll never leave this property, Miya," Kagome said softly. Yusuke trotted out, keeping his eyes trained on the eldest woman, who was dividing her sneer between Kagome and Youko.

"A useless girl in love with someone bound to outlive her, three males who can't use any little power they might have, and a stupid little spirit guide who got herself caught with the same spell as the boys. You can really pick them, Kagome," The woman scoffed. Yusuke studied her, keeping from growling as he crept closer. The two girls behind her couldn't be older than Kagome - most likely a few years younger, and looking very green. She looked to be middle to late twenties. Yusuke assumed she was a miko. He also assumed no one here would mind if he took a chunk out of her with his teeth.

Strangely, Kagome didn't correct her on the number of change males, though Yusuke could hear Kuwabara scoffing mentally at her stupidity. He almost made a comment, but the man turned lion probably would have looked over at him, and that was exactly what he didn't want. Right now he was suddenly glad of this form - it moved silently, and even though this woman knew there were threats on the ground, she wasn't even looking in his direction.

"What and who I take in is my business. Lay off of Keiko and Kurama, Kagami. None of this is any of your business." Kagome shifted a step away from Yusuke, apparently to step almost protectively in front of the fox and the smaller girl. The three pair of miko eyes followed her and Yusuke grinned inwardly.

"Pathetic, Kagome. I should have known _you_ would defend doomed relationships, considering your... past." Kagami's smile was full of false sweetness and Yusuke shifted his weight, the instincts of his body kicking in viciously as he pounced.

They didn't even notice him until he had knocked the woman to the ground, teeth meeting and ripping flesh wherever possible. He fought the instinct to go for her throat - he didn't think Kagome actually wanted her dead, and he wasn't a murderer. He was just angry.

His ears caught the sound of an arrow moving against a bow, and heard Youko's following ground. Trusting the kitsune to take care of that, he jumped away, spinning as he landed to face the last one. His mind barely had time to register that she too was holding a bow - except it wasn't pointed at him. _'Hiei! Protect Kagome!'_

He was too late to stop her from shooting the arrow, but his powerful jaws quickly broke her bow, and one of her arms. He didn't bother with her anymore than that, his brown eyes seeking out his friend - who was fortunately holding an arrow in his mouth, though still hovering to one side of a suddenly pale Kagome. She swallowed, but whispered something to Keiko.

"Youko, stop. That's enough," Keiko said, her voice shaking. The kitsune immediately raised his head, checking her over for injuries. It took a few moments, but eventually his growls died down and he left the scared and only slightly maimed miko behind. Yusuke snarled once more at the girl who had shot the arrow at Kagome before sullenly slinking back behind Kagome, feeling her eyes on him.

"You missed one," Kagome said dryly to Kagami. Yusuke was briefly surprised that she wasn't disgusted by what they had done to this woman - obviously there was a lot of history.

"You filthy whore for the youkai," The woman hissed in response. Yusuke would have given her credit for not screaming in pain as she slowly got to her feet, but only Kagome's hand in the scruff around his neck kept him from giving in to his wolf instincts and ripping out her throat.

"I bet you protect them all," Kagami continued, and Yusuke felt Youko join him when he began to growl. "How good are they in bed, Kagome? Do they know they're being protected by a miko who couldn't even defeat an older, better version of herself?"

The mikos on the perimeter were studiously ignoring the growing miko auras in front of Kagome's house. But apparently, someone else wasn't. Yusuke didn't know where they'd been, but Souta was striding toward them. The girl with the broken arm and bow saw him first, ignoring the trailing kitsune kit. "Souta! Those vicious demons-"

"Protected my sister from you trying to kill her again Yumiko? Yes, it's this little thing called honor," Souta sneered as he walked by, shoving her to one side when she tried to step into his path. Kagami had turned, and was apparently trying to pretend she wasn't bloody and insulting his sister on her own property.

"Souta. It's very nice to see you again," She said smoothly. "I see you're growing into a proper - "

Souta clenched his fists and the next thing Yusuke saw was Kagami hitting the ground again. She looked shocked, putting a hand to her face where his punch had hit her jaw. Yusuke felt like growling. She was bleeding everywhere from his wounds, but she paid attention to the kid's punch more. Something was very wrong with this woman's head.

"So, let's see. Kagome specifically asks that you three don't come. Kagome asks me and Shippo to take a walk. Obviously she didn't have my naivete in believing the others could actually stand up to you three bullies. Let me make one thing clear, since you won't listen to Kagome. I hate you. The very sight of you and your trainees sickens me. You foul the air of our shrine every time you step in. Frankly, if it had been me watching Youko and Yusuke take chunks from you, and Kagome wasn't around, I wouldn't have stopped them from killing all three of you. The girls wouldn't have paid attention, just like they don't pay attention when you try to kill Kagome." He paused for breath and Kagami got to her feet, slowly and carefully. Yusuke watched, puzzled at her submissive attitude to the boy when he was weaker than Kagome in terms of power.

"My sister didn't want the leadership. She gathered you all, connected you, but wouldn't lead you. I thought it odd when you insisted I should take the position when I was older. Then I realized there were fewer males with our powers than females. So I'm going to accept that position, though I backed out before. I'm too young to do it now, but in a year or two, I'm going to copy my older sister, but I'm going to find men with our powers to, and both genders will be in the same network, and you will work together. There will be no more trying to kill those more powerful than you, and we won't be hunting every demon indiscriminatly. You can back away from trying to take control now. It's _mine_." Yusuke gaped, and he could feel Kagome's surprise through the fingers on his neck. This was something that had come out of nowhere.

"Yes, Souta-san," Kagami whispered.

"Get off my property," Souta growled, pointing toward the steps. The three mikos in various states of injury scrambled as fast as they could toward the steps. There were a few snickers near the perimeter as they passed and Yusuke caught some smirks being exchanged. Obviously the girls of dubious backbone weren't at all displeased at this.

_'Fuck me,'_ Youko's shocked voice whispered over the mental bonds.

"No thanks," Souta answered calmly. "You're a little too furry for my tastes."

Kagome almost choked trying not to laugh.

----

Shippo frowned down, almost pouting at the leaf in his hand. He was trying a new spell with his foxfire, but it wasn't working - of course, once his sunlight was cut off by a curious lion-shaped human, it was no longer as interesting. He pounced up onto his feet and glanced up into the dark eyes. "Something wrong?"

_'What?' _he asked, seemingly startled. _'Why would you say that?'_

Shippo smiled, fighting a laugh. The body language of Kuwabara's new form gave away everything - and so did the look in his eyes. "Just a hunch."

_'It was odd - seeing them fight like that. I mean, they were going to kill Kagome, but... It was bloodier than I would have thought from them,'_ Kuwabara explained, obviously uncomfortable.

"It looked bloodier than it was - it's just because it's teeth and claws instead of energy and fists. Less damage done to those three than what could have happened - and they did deserve it. They've tried to kill Kagome more than once, and have killed demons who didn't deserve it - tried to kill me before," Shippo said, dropping his leaf.

_'You? But... You're just a kid!'_ Kuwabara exclaimed, obviously angry.

"A demon kid - And it's the demon part they care about. To them, everything demonic is bad the second its born - Mama hoped they would come around. She has too much faith in the good of people sometimes." Shippo looked down and pretended to be studying the leaf on the ground.

Kuwabara didn't answer and Shippo glanced to the right, growling out in canine, **"Your white coat really stands out when you know what to look for, you know."**

**"Just interested in hearing more about those females," **Youko Kurama replied, startling Kuwabara as he slipped out from underneath the roots of the God Tree. **"Will they really leave her alone now?"**

Shippo shot him an amused look, and his face stretched into a grin. At least Kagome's instincts were usually very correct instead of horribly wrong - she had rescued these ones, after all. **"They will. Souta will prove the legend they seek to test."**

**"Cryptic," **Youko grumbled.

**"Only because you don't know the answer," **Shippo teased, and yipped when Youko growled playfully, lunging for the kitsune kit. Laughing, Shippo ran up toward the house, leaving a befuddled Kuwabara behind.

"It's good to see Shippo getting to play," A new voice commented. Souta was leaning on a staff, watching the boy just manage to outrun the older kitsune - and pretending not to see the times when Youko slowed a trifle or let his feet slide when he didn't need too.

_'I didn't think I'd ever see either side of Kurama playing,'_ Kuwabara admitted.

"As he is a powerful demon, there aren't many he can trust - maybe especially other kitsunes. Shippo is an innocent, and trusts whole heartedly. Though I do hope he doesn't decide to follow his mentor's advice on women when he's older - I have enough problems protecting myself from Kagome's wrath, I don't think I could handle protecting my nephew as well." Souta grinned at the human-turned-lion, but still watched Shippo playing with the white fox.

_'Mentor?'_ Kuwabara had to ask.

"He'll need one eventually - and if your kitsune doesn't object, Shippo will probably ask him. As good as we are to him - we're not kitsunes, and there are some things we can't teach him, or help him with. If we tried, we'd probably harm him." Souta looked up suddenly, his gaze unfocussed for a moment. "I'm going to go check on the girls - by the feel, they should be almost done."

Kuwabara settled beneath the boughs of the God Tree, and watched his friends - Yusuke was no where in sight, but neither was Kagome. He could smell them faintly on the wind, fresh and not too far. Youko had finally pinned the small kit, and though the sounds from his throat were vicious - the boy was struggling to growl back between bouts of laughter. Keiko - Keiko was watching in evident surprise. There was a blue jay on Keiko's shoulder, and a dark form flying in the sky. His sister would probably come again today - hopefully before they changed, since he wanted some clean clothes, and Hiei, Kurama, and Botan had supplied her with information of how and where to get some for them.

He sighed, twitching his round ears. He wanted this month to be over - he wanted to see Yukina – and for when his sister moved to slap him, that she didn't stop, remembering he wasn't as tall anymore. He wanted to go back to being himself - being a lion wasn't bad, not now when they had reminders, but sometimes, when his stomach was full, instead of being full of energy- he just felt lazy. The pride was safe, some instinct seemed to say, and he should conserve energy.

Yusuke didn't do that - sure, he slept in his animal body, but they all did, and food could make him content - but even when lying down, he was constantly aware. Hiei - who knew if Hiei even slept at all in either form. Botan's form always seemed to be full of energy - and Youko obviously was energetic. His seemed to be the most lethargic - and he didn't like it. He didn't like that there were things going on he didn't understand - those women, for instance. He wanted to get out and fight.

But as it was, he had to wait - they shouldn't fight until they were totally themselves again. They were gaining more strength, day by day - but it wasn't enough.

------

Yusuke was glad that most of the others had gone inside after they changed and went to eat dinner - and he went out. Kagome was out there too, which was a factor - but a bigger one was the mournful eyes Kurama and Keiko gave each other and him when all three of them were in the same room. He didn't understand it. He had _let her go_. What more did they want?

He spotted the familiar dark head laying by the roots of the God Tree. Unsurprising. He made sure to make at least a bit of noise as he approached and sat beside her, staring down curiously. "So what was with Souta today? And those women?"

Kagome grimaced and opened her eyes to look up at him. Her usually bright eyes were dim and murky and he almost regretted bringing up the topic. But almost wasn't did, and he waited. She shifted as if to look away and he automatically reached out a hand to draw her back. Both froze and Kagome broke the strained silence hurriedly. "Kagami, Miya, and Yumiko. They... Well. When I got back from... a trip, where I had learned about my powers, I decided that if other mikos were around, we needed to band together - a lot has been lost over the centuries since I - since the feudal era. I found as many as I could - but I didn't want to lead them. This angered those three, because there was a... story they believed I came from, and they didn't understand why I wasn't using my powers and leading them - and if I wasn't leading them, then they should. But I couldn't let that happen either. So they had decided I could either lead them, or I could die, making them the most powerful - or at least the best trained. That will change when Souta gets older. You heard what he said."

"Yeah, I did." Yusuke smirked. "That's some kid. So, how long did it take you to gather the shards of the Shikon no Tama? A year? Two?"

He laughed at Kagome's expression. "Oh, come _on_. Maybe Hiei and Youko are too focussed on the legends they know about it, but to anyone really listening to the way your brother and kit told it, it's damn obvious."

"Two and a half," she answered finally, still feeling a little stunned - and sheepish. It was obvious when he put it like that.

Yusuke grinned smugly at the expression still on her face and leaned back on his elbows, staring at the darkening sky. "And you're... what? Eighteen? Nineteen?"

"Nineteen next month," Kagome answered.

Yusuke smirked. "I'm older than you."

She gifted him with an amused look. "And you're showing it so very well right now."

Yusuke refrained from commenting on her own relative maturity in the light of how many times she put herself in danger and instead turned his head and twisted his body slightly, studying her before he asked the question. He knew from the stories her brother and kit had been telling that she probably wouldn't allow it - he was of demon blood, and she hadn't known him very long. But he was curious. "Can I see it?"

She looked questioning for a moment - then warily, and finally nervous as she sat up, one hand going to her neck and he saw the chain there. He knew she probably heard the question underneath it, and that he shouldn't be asking her to trust him. But they were placing their lives in her hands and for some reason, he wanted her to trust them back - it would make it all much easier.

Her hand dipped into her shirt, fingers twining around the chain. It came up, and off of her neck, and he almost didn't catch the glittering orb when she dropped it. Carefully, he sat up again, and held the jewel in the palm of his hand, keeping his hand flat and still slightly toward her. It gave the illusion that she could snatch it back anytime - which she technically could, but if he had wanted to keep it, no matter how close his hand was to her, it wouldn't have mattered. Power throbbed inside the jewel like a pulse, and he took it in his other hand, holding it between his thumb and first finger toward the dark sky.

It glowed gently and he grimaced as the power washed over him. "All of that, for this? Weren't there other ways to get power?"

"Maybe. But not like the Shikon no Tama. Its power can grant wishes, though most demons just wanted it to make themselves stronger - one shard multiplied their strength many times. The full jewel could turn a relatively weak demon into something invincible, probably. In Naraku's hands..." Kagome trailed off and he turned his eyes from the jewel to seek hers in the twilight gloom.

"But it's not in his hands," He pointed out quietly, and placed the jewel in his palm, holding it toward her. "It's in yours."

"It's still not as safe as it should be," She responded bitterly as she placed the jewel back around her neck, the chains rubbing against each other gently to clink in the dark night. It reminded him briefly of chains and he felt an unexpected burst of sympathy for Kagome.

"Hell, I don't think there's anyone else it could be safer with. Who else alive understands it as much and can be trusted not to misuse it? From what I heard, even Inuyasha can be swayed by the power." He watched her reaction - what he could see of it in the dark. He heard her shift nervously, doubtfully, and sighed.

"What did happen back there? I mean, why is Inuyasha here and not there anyway?" He asked, and knew it was the wrong thing to do. There was utter silence nearby and he shifted to reach for her as he felt her trying to draw away. For some reason, this was important to him. She was important to him and it confused him a bit - but Yusuke wasn't one to overthink his reactions. He just acted.

"Look, we've all seen you withdraw from Inuyasha and Kagura on certain topics, and the dog grow quiet when we expect him to be his normal stupid self." He fumbled for words and cursed inwardly as he felt more than saw her shaking her head. He had a grip on one wrist, keeping her there physically, but mentally and emotionally was another matter.

"I have no reason to trust you," She pointed out, a little cold - and mostly a bit desperate. He noticed she hadn't said she _didn't_ trust him - just that she had no reason to. For him, words didn't do enough.

He tugged on her wrist and traced a path from her wrist up her arm to her face. She was leaning toward him thanks to his pull and was oddly frozen. He wished he could see her eyes. Her pulse fluttered beneath his fingers and he knew what he wanted to do. He knew what he was going to do, and he made sure not to think about it. If he thought about it, he wouldn't go through with it.

It had been only a couple of weeks. He had just really given up Keiko yesterday. It was too soon, it was the wrong thing to do, and it was probably a mistake. But Yusuke ignored the thoughts mulling in his mind, trying to get his attention, and ran a callussed thumb across her lips. After shifting forward slightly, his hand moved to her chin. She still hadn't moved away and hadn't said even a word to stop him. He closed the distance, putting his lips where his thumb had been earlier.

She was kissing back immediately, surprising him. Hoping that she would respond and her actually not only responding but encouraging him to deepen the kiss were very different. He had half expected her to not move - or run away. Instand their lips were gently pressed together - and then not so gently. By some unknown signal they both opened their mouths. Each brush of their tongues sent sparks down Yusuke's spine and he forced himself to break off the kiss, breathing lightly, his mouth still only a couple of inches from hers.

Sensing her beginning to stiffen and think about it, he scowled and brought her closer, this time just holding her. "Stop. Don't overthink it. Just... Damn it, I don't know. Just let me hold you while you think about it, okay? There's no reason to run."

"There's every reason to run. Usually every boy I kiss ends up betraying me at one time or another." Despite her words, she settled comfortably in his arms and he gladly wrapped them around her.

_'She's lonely.'_ He realized, somehow unsurprised. Despite her family here, besides Kagura and Inuyasha, he hadn't see any friends, and definitely no boyfriends. He knew later his friends would come up with all sorts of objections - but he would worry about it later. He would enjoy the time he had now, and forget about the enemy outside the wards, and forget about all the little dramas and discomfort surrounding his friends. Just a few hours with no worries besides Kagome.

She shifted in his arms and then settled again, her head on his shoulder. She didn't speak, but his heart soared anyway. Later they could think about it and wonder if what they were doing was right or good for them. For now, they could just be.

----------

Aw, isn't that so nice. Or so you think. Many problems ahead, 'cause that kiss will definitely cause angst.


End file.
